


The Snow Bash Weekend - Team Vorpatril vs Team Koudelka

by ana



Series: Ivan and the Koudelkas [1]
Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Cake, Class Issues, Dancing, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Family, Friendship, Games, Marriage, POV Outsider, Sex, Siblings, Sisters, Snow and Ice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-09
Updated: 2012-07-16
Packaged: 2017-11-09 12:46:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 35,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/455596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ana/pseuds/ana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU - Written before I read CVA.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Goddess in the Snow

**Author's Note:**

> OK.
> 
> First Note: If you've heard of the characters Eve Sorrentti and Ensign Stefan Laurent you need to read this note. If you've not heard of them - please don't read this note. Yes, Eve and Stefan are the two characters who dwell in one of my other AU fics. I have taken them and placed them in this fic as I wanted two outsiders to bounce stuff off. So they are the same characters, same age but different time - but they don't know that.
> 
>    
> Second Note:This is set after Memory and is canon compliant up to Diplomatic Immunity.   
>  
> 
> ***

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Snow Bash Weekend. 
> 
> That hallowed Koudelka tradition of food, booze, dancing and more importantly - the Flag Game: Team Koudelka vs Team Vorpatril*. 
> 
> Except this year it was different. 
> 
> This year a joke from Great Uncle Viktor and an inebriated Goddess caused a chain of events that changed everyone’s lives irrevocably**.
> 
> *Team Vorpatril only consists of one Vorpatril but Ivan’s the Captain and he’s picked the name and it’s one of the few things he gets to pick, so get off his case! 
> 
> **This is a slight exaggeration but it sounds good!
> 
> Stuff: For those of a nervous or easily offended disposition this story contains references to Romantic poetry and sex. And it has Byerly in it.
> 
> More stuff: This ENTIRE tale takes place mainly over one evening and one morning - think of it as real time. Kind of. Maybe.
> 
> ***

**Chapter 1**

 

_Olivia:  Everyone is going to have a great time.  Everyone will be together and even if the ankle biter isn’t here, it’s going to be a great Snow Bash, everyone will love it and -_

_Delia:  Duv. Duv. Duv.  A whole weekend with Duv and he’s sleeping in the next room but I’m sure we’ll get around that and -_

_Martya:  I can’t wait until this weekend is over -_

_Ivan:  I think I’ve over packed.  But since I’m going to lose again the least I can do is look good..._

***    

“I bet you’ve not heard this one,” Great Uncle Viktor said in his heavy accent; he laughed and coughed at the same time.  “Alexi’s son told me this.  How many Komarrans does it take to – urgh – this beer is swill – what’s wrong with you, Koudelka - getting the cheap stuff, eh?  – What was I saying?  – Komarrans! - how many Komarrans does it take to change a light bulb?”

The problem with Great Uncle Viktor, Olivia thought with a wince, was there was no stopping him when he was like this.

“None,” he cackled, “None!  There’s some Cetagandans at their door and the Komarrans are too busy fucking them -” and then Uncle Viktor, who had arrived drunk and was downing beer like there was no tomorrow, stopped mid-cackle, accused Duv of looking at him funny, swung a punch at him from the other side of the room - which sent his walking stick flying - and he landed flat on his face. 

“Not again,” Uncle Jos muttered.

Olivia watched as her father and Uncle Jos helped pick him up, but Uncle Viktor shook them off declaring he didn’t need any help, that he wasn’t staying any longer and that they were _all_ leaving – a speech littered with some choice cussing that even shocked her da.  When her uncles started to softly protest, Uncle Viktor, his accent getting thicker by the second, declared he would rather walk home than stay in his niece’s house and he part-staggered, part-charged out of the house into the freezing snow.

In the end, no one could be persuaded to stay because of the conflicts it would cause if only one family remained behind.  And as Uncle Viktor was currently staying with Aunt Emma she did her usual ‘don’t mind me/woe is me’ routine. 

So Olivia watched all her hulking cousins – all male – leave; but not before they all shook Duv’s hand, congratulated him again on his promotion and welcomed him to the clan.  Everyone pretended nothing had happened and Olivia was impressed at how calmly Duv handled it, although he looked as stiff as a pole.  Delia, clamped to his side, looked at him like a prized possession.  

“Families, eh?” was Tomas’s succinct assessment of the situation. “Tell Vorpatril I said hey and I’ll catch him at work; tell him good luck winning without me – he’ll need it.”

“You played on his team last year, Tomas, and we still beat you,” Delia pointed out.

“That’s because Olivia broke my wrist, you cheats!”

Duv gave Delia a questioning look and she shook her head and patted his arm.  “That was an accident; it’s not usually that bad.  You’ll be fine.”  She looked at Tomas.  “Duv’s agreed to play on Ivan’s team.”

Tomas let out a booming laugh, gave Duv a commiserating look and left chuckling.  Duv looked like he was beginning to have second thoughts, so Olivia reassured him that it wasn’t that violent and that most of the time they didn’t need her mama’s first aid training.

After everyone had left Olivia refused to be disheartened. _It’s going to be very quiet without mother’s family but at least everyone else is coming. This is just one little glitch, that’s all.  One glitch…_

***

“What am I supposed to be doing?”  Duv asked.

Delia could see he was distracted by the bird’s eye view of her décolletage and she smiled at the light in his eyes.  He was standing behind her while she was seated at her dressing table, helping her dress her hair for the first of the Snow Bash traditions – The Dessert Supper. 

“Just hold those strands in place, so I can pin them,” she replied, taking her time finding her pins, savouring every second of his touch.

Duv ran her blonde strands through his fingers.  “Like this?”

She laughed.  “No.”

“Like this?” he whispered, planting a kiss on her ear. 

“Maybe…” she breathed.

“Like this?” he asked hoarsely, his mouth reaching her neck and –

“So what are you two doing?”  Olivia asked loudly, crashing into the room and sitting on Delia’s bed.  Duv had stepped back but Delia wheeled around with a cry.

“Olivia!”

“The door was open!” she said and grinned.  “And it’s a good thing too, I don’t think da would like it _at all,”_ she added with a mischievous look. 

“We weren’t doing anything,” Duv said suddenly, and Delia looked at him, incredulous. 

“You don’t have to defend yourself to her!”  _I’m your fiancée for God’s sake!_

Olivia laughed.  “Oh, Duv, I was only teasing!  You’re not scared of my da, are you?  I should warn you, though, about tonight,” she whispered, pointing to the floor, “da is a light sleeper.”

Delia gave her The Stare.   “Get. Out.”  
  
“But I have news! And Martya’s sleeping so I can’t tell her.  She wasn’t kidding when she said she was taking a nap - it’s a very long one!”  
  
Delia glanced at Duv and saw he was now back at that tense parade stance.  It had taken him a long while to relax after her relatives had left; now all her work was undone.  She returned her glare to Olivia’s innocent look.   “Make it quick, Koudelka.”

Olivia grinned.  “While you were up here, Ivan arrived with this pretty Ensign and a girl who had vomit in her hair!  All over her!  He’s with her now in the bathroom trying to get her cleaned up.”

Delia let out a laugh and even Duv looked curious.  Alright, she wasn’t expecting that!

“How the-“

“The Ensign did it – I reckon he’s drunk but he seems to be hiding it well, said it was something he ate and it came on suddenly.  I need to get her some clothes, she reeks!”

“So have you given her any clothes?”

“No, I came to tell you first – it’s going to be ages for her to get that vomit out of her hair.  God knows what help Ivan is giving her; although,” she said giving Delia a look, “remember that time at your first Birthday Ball when Ivan had to help you -”

“Ivan is in with her?”  Delia said cutting her off with a ‘don’t you dare’ hand signal.  “I thought you meant the Ensign was with her, why is Ivan– _hah_.  She’s a beauty, right?”

Olivia shook her head and then looked a little guilty.  “Well, no, I don’t mean she’s ugly – she just isn’t very- she’s tiny and her hair is huge – too…quirky for Ivan.   Anyway, the Ensign said he still feels queasy, so Ivan went in to help her instead– she said she didn’t need me too.  Aren’t you going to ask me her name? Guess!”

Delia raised an eyebrow.  “We know her?”

Olivia shook her head, grinning.  “No, we’ve heard about her though and we were expecting her!  I’ve given you lots of clues, Deels! She arrived the same time as Ivan and she came here to drop those disks off for Tatya and Rene -”

“Eve Sorrentti? – Laisa’s singer?  Oh, Olivia!”  Delia said standing up.  “You know Tatya said she may be nervous when she comes and _you’ve left her with_ _Ivan?”_

Olivia laughed.  “What are you worried about?  She’s not his type!  She’s one of the Betan Ten for God’s sake!”

Delia had to admit she didn’t sound like anyone Ivan would like.  (She’d heard him dismiss some women for the oddest, superficial reasons.)  Ten years ago Eve Sorrentti had been one of three young girls who had survived a therapist’s misguided chemical therapy in a Beta Colony clinic.  Seven girls weren’t so fortunate and died overdosed on hallucinogens and truth serums.  The Therapist was charged with manslaughter and was undergoing therapy for her breakdown.  It was an infamous case resulting in mass compensation and mass humiliation for the Betans – as far as the rest of the Galaxy was concerned.  It may have been a long time ago, but Laisa recommending Eve’s songs and singing had initially caused quite a stir.

“Delia, you know Ivan,” Olivia continued, “for all his –" she glanced from Duv to Delia – “Ivan-ness you have to admit Lady Alys trained him well.  He’ll see this girl as one of his escort duties – a duty he’s good at; wouldn’t you say so, Duv?  What was Ivan like at the Embassy?” she asked him suddenly.

Duv visibly blinked and paused before he answered:  “As you said, Olivia, at escort duties he’s quite…competent.”

Olivia looked at him and then frowned in obvious disappointment.  “Oh,” she said as she stood.  “Excuse me. I have to get that girl some clothes.”

After she’d left Delia smothered a laugh at Duv’s perplexed expression. 

“What did I say?” he asked.  “Is she upset?” 

“Well you didn’t sound very complementary.  Olivia’s very defensive when it comes to Ivan. I know she- well we all say things about Ivan, but he’s like family.”

“I understand.”

“Oh, now don’t _you_ get defensive!” she said with a laugh.  “It’s just we’ve known him all our lives and even Martya can sometimes get prickly about – well she would never – well, apart from her misjudgement in being too loud about having rejected his proposal.  I’m saying this all wrong.”

Duv put his arms around her waist, but he was still tense and staring at the open door.    “I know what you’re saying.  Family is off limits to outsiders.”   

“You’re not an outsider!  _You’re_ family now.”

“Not yet,” he said dryly.  “So how do your parents feel about Vorpatril?”

Delia began to wish she hadn’t said anything, but there was no point in holding back now.  “Mama spoils him rotten, she always has.  I think it goes back to guilt about his father – you know –“

“Yes, I know about his father.  Your mother had nothing to feel guilty about, but I’m surprised Vorpatril would use it to get around her.”

Delia gasped.  “No!  I didn’t mean it like that.  Ivan rarely mentions him as far as I know, except he says he inherited his good looks.  He didn’t.  Padma Vorpatril was far better – well,” Delia coughed.  “Never mind that.”

“And your father?”

Delia sighed.  “Put it this way, Duv.  When Martya complained about Ivan proposing to her straight after my rejection.” Duv’s eyes lit up in smugness. _Oh dear._ Delia was beginning to think it may have been a mistake to tell him about that, what with Ivan staying the weekend at the house as well…

Delia continued, “Well, after Martya told da – he said that we girls had no idea how nerve wracking it was to make a proposal and that Ivan could hardly ask us both at the same time, could he?  He said it was a credit to Ivan’s excellent taste that he wanted to marry his daughters and he couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about.”

 Duv said nothing, wisely not taking any sides.  Delia laughed. 

“I did have a family too, once,” he said with that adorable smiling grimace and Delia pulled him close.

“You have more family now, Duv,” she said and looked at the door. “I know, I’ll close the door and -”

Duv pulled away.  “Don’t you think we should go down soon and greet your new guest?” he asked.  “And I could find your mother, she’ll be better at doing your hair than I will.”  And with a swift kiss of her cheek he all but sprinted out of the room and down the stairs.

Delia stared after him.  _Huh. He couldn’t leave fast enough! Damn Olivia for making him jumpy!_ She took a breath and then smiled.  _But there’s tonight, I have him all to myself tonight…_ She went to the window but there wasn’t really much to see.  Her window overlooked the garden, which part bordered Crescent Park (named that for obvious reasons) but it was too dark to make out much of anything except the snow-heavy trees.   She observed that her da hadn’t set up the game for the next day, probably because of the snow forecast and – _wait a moment, Martya never takes naps!_

Delia frowned and recalled her conversation with Olivia again.  Olivia had also mentioned the incident at the ball when Ivan had told Delia not to drink too much wine on an empty stomach, as if she didn’t know that herself! She was so infuriated with him, she did it anyway and he was right.  He’d sobered her up before anyone found out but not until after she’d propositioned his C.O.  Luckily for her no one found out. 

Delia had told Olivia about the incident this years later, as a warning lesson to how exasperating Ivan was since all the Koudelka girls suffered from the same stubborn ‘don’t tell me what to do’ affliction – _Oh!  I’m so slow!  Olivia was dropping clues because Duv was there! Damn you Martya, no! What were you thinking? We have guests! And if da finds out he’ll go nuts!_ No, she’d have to investigate – this wasn’t like Martya at all.

She turned about to leave For Martya’s room when she saw her mother was coming up the stairs.  Madam Koudelka was already dressed for the supper, in a beautiful ice blue gown and she frowned at her daughter.

“I thought at least you’d be ready! You’re not even dressed!  Let me do your hair.”

“Maybe you should do Olivia’s first, you know she always takes the longest.”

Her mother smiled.  “She’s in with Martya.  I’m assuming she’s updated you on our guests?”

Delia nodded.

“Yes, I thought that would have been her first priority,” she said shaking her head and then smiled.  “Your Commodore seemed –“

“Duv, mama!  Please remember that.  Stop being so formal!  How is he supposed to feel part of this family if -”

“Slow down, love.” Her mother had put her hands on her shoulders with a look of concern.  “We’re _all_ still getting used to each other –“

“I thought you liked him.”

She laughed.  “Of course I do.  But we don’t know each other that well yet, stop giving your poor mother a hard time,” and with a wry smile she added, “and don’t be so hard on him, either”

“I don’t know what you mean!  I’ve not been hard on him.  I thought he handled Uncle Viktor very well,” she said proudly.

“Yes, but he has yet to survive a whole weekend with the Koudelkas with no escape - give him a chance to adjust, love.  Now…I wanted to ask you about Martya, if you can tell me.  You know I don’t expect you to betray any confidences, unless it’s necessary of course.”

Delia kept a straight face.  “Yes, mama.”

“Martya’s not regretting saying no to Ivan, is she?”

Delia heard the hopeful note in her mother’s tone and shook her head.  “No, not at all and you know they’re not suited - you can’t still wish it?” 

All the sisters had had a long talk about Ivan years ago, and their pact still stood – if anyone wanted him for themself they had to tell the other siblings to avoid any animosity.  Martya said he was still fair game - not that any Koudelkas wanted to play.  He was just so _…Ivan_ and he irritated Martya no end just by existing.  One of Martya’s complaints about him was that he was either too attentive or not attentive enough.  Delia often mused that Martya measured out just how much attention was appropriate and God help you if you got it wrong.

Her mother sighed. “I suppose so.   If that is the case, can you tell me why she’s been so prickly lately?”

_Ah, so it was a leading question, nice try mother._

Delia shook her head. _“_ You’re worrying over nothing,” she said dismissively. _“_ It’s just Martya being Martya – just more so than usual.”

 _If Martya ruins my weekend with Duv I’ll kill her.  She knows how hard it is for me and Duv to get time to ourselves._   “I’ll speak to her,” she added.  “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

***

“I’ve brought some clothes!”  A voice yelled from outside the bathroom door.

“Thank you, Olivia,” Ivan said, his voice thick with sarcasm, “but since you obviously had to travel all the way to Cetaganda to get these clothes and probably took a nap to recover from the jump lag, I’ve made some clothes myself and given them to Eve.”

“I wasn’t _that_ long!” Olivia protested.  “God, you’re so impatient!  Eve, I’m sorry I –“

“It’s fine, honestly!” Eve said.  “You do know they probably won’t fit me anyway? But thank you.”

“Well, if you do need anything –“

“We’ll put an order in,” Ivan said, “give you six months’ notice.”

Olivia said something Eve didn’t catch because of the rushing water, but she heard Ivan say in mock shocked tones, “I’m going to tell your mother you said that!”

Eve smiled.  “She wasn’t that long.”

“She was long enough.” But she could hear that he was smiling too.

With the help of Ivan, Eve had taken off her soiled jacket and layered dresses, and was dressed only in her leggings and her camisole – which were vomit free.  She was kneeling on a towel - head bowed over the bath – while Ivan was attempting to shower out the vomit from her hair and neck. 

Eve was still wondering over how she’d got into this surreal situation.

She’d only arrived at the Koudelkas to drop off some more disks of her songs for the Vorbrettens, who would be there for dinner.  (The Vorbrettens had been given the task of gathering material from many musicians to use for events commemorating the Emperor’s forthcoming nuptials.)

On arrival at the Koudelka household, Eve and her friend Stefan had seen what they thought was a statue in the empty street, but it turned out to be Martya Koudelka.  She was in a Grecian gown, stood up high on a tree stump in the freezing cold and she wasn’t even shivering.

“I think I’ve got it all,” Ivan said bringing her back to the present, “but I should give it another cleanser rinse…You have a lot of hair.” Eve didn’t think it needed yet another rinse, but she didn’t disagree.  Instead she stared at her hip length long hair, currently swirling in the water at the bottom of the bath and she said lightly.  “Yeah, well, your cousin had a lot of vomit.” Her voice pitched higher at the last word as his fingers brushed her neck again and he ran his fingers through her hair again.  _I love his hands._ _Warm hands. Soft hands. Is he doing this on purpose?  This could hardly be a turn on!_ But then she recalled how he never left her hair alone when they were briefly together.

He grunted a laugh.  “She’s not my cousin.  What did she say before it happened?  I didn’t catch it.”

Ivan had arrived shortly after Eve had, saluting Stefan who had been stood further away, and then looking at Martya Koudelka with concern.  Eve’s heart had dropped into her stomach when she saw Ivan, but she couldn’t help but smile at his handsome, friendly face.  At least he didn’t look pissed off at her, but she didn’t have time to dwell on him.  She’d turned back to Martya Koudelka who, tall as she was, looked every inch a towering Grecian Goddess - especially stood on that tree stump; she’d looked down at Eve and said: _I can’t breathe here anymore_ in an anguished tone, breaking the spell.   Eve kept that part to herself.

Instead Eve related to Ivan how when she’d moved closer and touched Martya Koudelka’s arm she’d then looked down at her and exclaimed at how short Eve was.  Eve, smelling the rank alcoholic breath, had recoiled and said - laughing - that on some planets five foot two was average height.  The Goddess’s retort had been:  “Hah! On what planet is this?  Planet of the midget dwarves?”  And she’d then vomited all over Eve and passed out backwards into Ivan’s arms. _He_ had managed to escape the vomit.

“Is there such a thing as a midget dwarf?”  Eve asked.

“I don’t know, but she owes you an apology.”

“S’fine.  I thought she was funny.”

 She could hear the laughter in his tone as he said, “I suppose but she owes you for this.  I… shouldn’t have got you involved,” he said with a weight in his tone. 

_I have to say something…_

“It was my decision,” she said. “I told you I didn’t mind.  Besides, I think it’s you she owes, it wasn’t _my_ plan.  I take it that it would be bad if her parents found out?”

 “Bad enough.”

 “Understood.  Stefan’ll keep his word too. I still can’t believe how quick you got her in the house.”

Eve was impressed by how fast Ivan had resolved all of it.  She’d offered to help when she’d seen how concerned he looked.  He’s said they needed to get the Goddess inside without anyone knowing, so she’d agreed to pretend it was Stefan’s fault, if Stefan had no objection and Stefan thought the whole thing was fun. 

When they’d got to the Koudelka front door, the Commodore and Madam Koudelka quickly escorted the ‘queasy’ Stefan – who was overacting as far as Eve was concerned - into the downstairs lavatory.  Olivia Koudelka and Ivan had then exchanged rapid hand signals and he went to his ground car, hoisted the passed out Goddess - wrapped in his coat - over his shoulder and taken her upstairs.  Olivia Koudelka, having kept her watch, had then escorted Eve upstairs.  Apparently the entire household still thought her sister hadn’t left her bedroom.

“How are you going to sober her up?  Do you have something to give her?”  Eve realised she was talking a lot but she couldn’t help it.  She knew what she wanted to say but she was a little overwhelmed – and embarrassed.

He paused before he spoke.  “Don’t you worry about that.”

“Done this before, eh?”  _I should say something._

“Let’s just say it’s in hand.  Right, I think we’re done.” he said turning the shower pipe off.  “I’ll leave you to get dressed.”

“How long are you going to keep this up?” she asked, standing and turning around quickly - flinging water everywhere with her hair, including in Ivan’s eyes and uniform.   “Oops.”

Ivan wiped his eyes and Eve handed him a towel. He placed it around her shoulders after he’d quickly used it, moving her hair over the towel.  She could still see droplets on his long lashes. 

“I’m sorry,” Eve said.

“It’s just water."

“That’s not what I meant.”   

  
He nodded.  “I see. You should have said if you didn’t want to see me again –“                                                                                                                                  

“But I do want to!”

“Evie, it’s been _three weeks_.”

Eve swallowed.  _Evie, he’s still calling me Evie_.  She shook her head.  “No, one week – one week.   I told you I was going to a retreat for two weeks. I couldn’t have contacted you then –“

“Evie –“

“Damn it, Ivan I said I was sorry - I wanted to contact you when I came back - but you see I’m at a crossroads and I see it -  and you  - and there hasn’t been a moment when I’ve not thought about you - but I don’t know – I have to be practical and sensible and take the right road.”

Ivan raised his eyebrow at this rapid speech.  Eve gave him a sheepish look.  “That made sense in my head.  But I swear I did reply to all your messages and I wrote and recorded some extra ones, including a song – and not one of my folk ones that you dislike.   I just, well… I never...um...sent them to you.”

“A song? For me?” He was smiling, the kind of smile that had flipped her heart over the first time; it was part of the many reasons that led to her spending the weekend in his apartment. 

“Do you forgive me, Ivan? I-“

“Course I do.  You’ll have dinner with me now, right?” he asked an eager look on his face.  “You’ve never had dinner with me, you won’t regret it.”

“I had dinner with you,” Eve laughed, part in disbelief at how easily he’d forgiven her.  “All that food we ate - some of it must have been dinner.” 

“Yeah, but I want dinner with you in the best restaurant in Vorbarr Sultana…not just in my bed.”

“I liked your bed.” Eve swallowed and licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry.  _Perspective, Eve, perspective!_ _Stop looking at his eyes!_   “Didn’t you hear about my crossroads?  It’s like picking which consequences - which universe.”

Ivan stepped closer, examining her throat and twisting her wet hair in his fingers.  “Oh yeah,” he said distractedly, “I remember.  You’re nuts and believe in alternate universes.”

She smiled – she couldn’t stop smiling.  “I don’t see that there’s anything wrong with that belief.  You can’t prove that all your decisions _haven’t_ been played out,” Eve insisted. 

“No, but I can tell you that if you make the decision to have dinner with me you’ll enjoy yourself. A lot.”

“That’s what worries me.”

“It’s just dinner.”

“Maybe for you - not for me.”

Ivan stopped looking at her neck, but continued to toy with her hair.  He looked her in the eye, suddenly serious; he dropped his voice.  “Not for me either.  I _missed_ you, Evie.  That weekend was –“

“Perfect,” they said in unison.  Her heart swelled, she was about to kiss him when there was a loud knocking on the door.

 “Ivan, can I talk to you?”  Olivia asked.

“You better go,” Eve said stepping back.  “I should get dressed.”

 “Ivan?” Olivia asked again.

“Not yet, Olivia!”

“Just meet me outside Martya’s room as soon as you can…so grumpy,” she muttered.

Ivan went back to messing with Eve’s hair.   “Promise me you won’t leave until I see you again.”

She nodded.

“Promise,” he insisted coiling her hair tighter and moving her closer.

She released one of his wet hands from her hair and kissed his fingers.  “I promise.”

He was about to leave when he turned around and asked:  “Did you get your scores back?”

“Scores?” she asked startled.

He nodded. “You were worried about your Women of Barrayar piece for your contemporary lit class. You said you’d get your final score when you came back.”

Eve was stunned.  “I – eh – yes – I mean – 84.  I got an 84.”

“Is that good?” he asked with a grin.  “It sounds good.”

“For me, yeah," she said thinking of all those average scores she'd achieved, but her scores were - slowly -crawling up.  "The highest score I’ve ever – Ivan, how did you remember that?  I don’t even remember telling you.”

He looked surprised and pleased, which was mirroring Eve’s own feelings; she wondered if his heart was making it's prescence felt too. 

Ivan smiled.  “I don’t forget anything, Evie Sorrentti, but I’m very picky about what I choose to recall.  I will see you later.”

Five minutes later Eve was still staring at the door.

***

Ivan knocked and entered – when Martya _finally_ let them in.  Olivia had wanted him to check on Martya so here he was.  He knew he should stop grinning.  Martya said his grins often irritated her, but he couldn’t help it now.  Evie still wanted to see him and she was the same, as he remembered, he was beginning to think he’d imagined her.

He seated himself on the chair, stretching out his long legs.  Olivia seated herself on the bed, giving him a warning look, which he chose to ignore.  Martya was now sitting up on the bed and drinking from one of the cartons he’d left her.  Her hair was in disarray and as pale as she looked, she didn’t look that bad -probably because her eyes were flashing at him.

She stopped drinking and glared at him.  “I didn’t ask for your help,” she rasped.  Her words were slightly slurred but another hour, several coffees and she would pass for sober.  Olivia had called Tatya and had got her to delay her and Rene’s arrival by an hour.  _So far so good._

Ivan shrugged.  “You’re right, you didn’t ask for my help, so give me my pills and drinks back.  That’s a potent and expensive palliative I’ve given you _and_ the last of my stash that I have with me.” 

Martya said nothing and Ivan grin broadened.  “Thought so.  Well, Martya, what can I say?” he said tutting and shaking his head.  “I never thought you’d be the one –“

“Keep it up, Vorpatril,” Martya said narrowing her eyes on him and crunching the carton, “and I’ll –“

“Save it.  Evie – Eve - the woman you decorated – is nearly finished cleaning up.   I’m going to ask her to come in so you can thank her for taking the heat off you and apologise.  You owe her that.”

Olivia was wincing and giving Ivan a long, pleading look.

Martya bolted upright with an angry gasp.  “I don’t need _you_ to tell _me_ what to-“

“Keep your voice down, do you want to undo all my work?”  Ivan asked.  “Honestly, you _modern girls_ ,” he said mimicking one of the older Dowagers quite expertly.

“You are an exasperating –“ Martya shook her head and suddenly laughed and Ivan grinned.  Yeah, Martya would be fine – for a while anyway.  He’d let the sisters sort out the rest, he was the last person Martya would come to for something personal.  This wasn’t like Martya at all – she knew what the Commodore was like about women drinking.  Whatever was going on with her, Ivan was sure her siblings would be able to get to the bottom of it.  He’d done his part; more than his part by getting Evie involved.

Evie. 

He’d been introduced briefly to her at Lieutenant Marinov’s wedding just before she sang.  (Lately it seemed there was a glut of officers getting betrothed or married.  Ivan suspected Gregor’s and Delia’s betrothals were affecting HQ waters and causing a widespread infection or panic - not that _he_ was affected.)  But while Evie sang, Ivan had been in the bathroom with Marinov – who was panicking and vomiting his guts out, while two of Ivan’s fellow officers were trying to sober up Marinov’s brother - who was supposed to be the second.  The similarities with today’s events weren’t lost on Ivan.

Ivan didn’t meet Evie properly until two in the morning when she was walking home from the wedding, in the snow and she was without an escort.   He’d insisted on giving her a lift, which she thought was odd, as she said she didn’t live that far. But she got in his ground car and for a while he didn’t drive anywhere and they talked about the weather, the wedding – mainly the food – and everything and nothing.  She was so easy to talk to.  

He’d started off genuinely thinking of nothing but dropping her home - until he heard her rich, infectious laugh and her calling him a sweetheart.  It did something.   He didn’t want to let her go and he was fascinated by her mermaid hair.  He couldn’t believe it when, halfway to her home, she suddenly and casually asked if she could please undress him - so she could see his shoulders.  He parked up in the falling snow and let her take the lead.  It was surreal, scorchingly erotic and he’d never been so glad he’d eased off the booze and that his seats reclined all the way back... 

“And you better not use this as an excuse for when we beat you tomorrow,” Ivan said suddenly, saving those potently distracting images for later and bringing himself back to the present.  

But then Olivia updated him - first on Uncle Viktor, which sent him into a fit of laughter _welcome to the family, Duv_ and then to other news.

“Da just told me Aunt Anna’s family can’t come now because of the snow,” Olivia said, looking miserable, “so there’s no third for your team, Ivan, and hardly anyone’s here.  This is the worst Snow Bash weekend in the history of Snow Bash weekends.”

“It’s only just started, Olivia,” he said soothingly, “I’m sure things can get worse.” 

Martya snorted a laugh and Olivia threw a cushion at him.  “You’re not going to make me laugh.  This is serious.”

Ivan gave her his gravest look and Olivia bit her lip, her eyes laughing.   

Observing that Martya had drunk all the cartons, Ivan picked up the packaging, crushed them smaller and stowed them in his pocket.  “Oh yeah, Martya,” he said seeing the sudden wide eyed look on her face, “I forgot to warn you, you’re probably going to feel a great urge to pee very, very soon.”

Martya had already scrambled off the bed and darted out the door, Olivia was holding her stomach laughing.

Ivan grinned and an idea popped into his head - he just had to feed it to people in the right way and it could make his weekend a lot more interesting…


	2. Goddesses and Dryads

**_And so it begins…_ **

“You look like death,” Delia said bluntly.

Martya stopped applying make-up and glanced at Delia as she entered her room.  Delia’s evening dress was over her arm, her hair already coiled up with thin silver strands.

“Mama do your hair?” Olivia asked, her own hair still requiring attention because she’d been helping Martya re-steam her dress. “Looks perfect.”

“Just like our Delia,” Martya muttered.

Delia glared at her.  “If you mean I’m not stupid enough to get sloshed when we have guests, then yes, I suppose I am.”

Martya rounded on Olivia.  “You _told_ her?”

 “Of course.”  Olivia put her reader aside.  “If we’re going to get through this evening, we’re going to need all hands on deck for subterfuge and distraction, in case _you_ land yourself in it.”

“Fine,” Martya said tightly, applying more make-up before she turned back to Delia. “But the last thing I need is one of your lectures.  I’m not in the mood, and I don’t want to talk about it.  I mean it.”

_Like any of you could understand when I don’t understand myself - the sooner this weekend is over the better - I just need to a break from this family and from this damn planet - that’s all – hah - breathe, breathe…_

Delia shook her head and began to do Olivia’s hair.  “None of my business, I’m sure,” Delia said coldly.

“Glad we understand each other,” Martya said taking a breath.  She watched Delia trying to coil up Olivia’s hair, frowned and walked over and helped her.  They exchanged looks and the tension lessened in the room. 

Martya wasn’t in any frame of mind to do anything elaborate with her own hair and since she didn’t like anyone touching her hair, she braided and coiled it at the nape of her neck.  She surveyed herself in the mirror and smiled.  For deathly pale, she didn’t look bad.

Drou walked in just as they finished dressing and surveyed them all with a proud smile, but frowned when she saw Martya.

“I still have a headache mother, I’ll be fine,” Martya said carefully.  Olivia had assured her she’d stopped slurring and she couldn’t face another cup of coffee.  Before her mother could say anything else Delia stepped forward. 

“Those combs are new – Ivan?” she asked admiring the blue and silver combs that perfectly matched her mother’s dress.  Drou practically preened, as she lightly patted them.

“Yes, he does spoil me that boy.”

“Yes, he’s such a suck up,” Martya retorted.  Ivan bought their mother a set of combs every Snow Bash, and the Commodore a bottle of some hideous brandy from the south.

Drou smiled.  “Well if you feel that way you can always tell him to take your gifts back.”

Olivia looked horrified and Delia shook her head.  “Ah - no, we like how he spoils you mother, you deserve it. Besides, he’s a suck up with excellent taste,” she added with a grin, “and giving gifts _is_ part of the Snow Bash tradition – well, giving _us_ gifts is.  Did Miles send something?”

Drou looked at her daughters and let out a laugh.  “You girls are spoilt!  Yes, Ivan said he has Miles’s gifts too, since he can’t make it this year.  Those poor boys, I’m sure they never thought this tradition would carry on into your adulthood.”

Martya snorted and then flinched. _Ooh, that hurts_. “ _They_ made it a tradition and we’ve told them they can change it at any time.”

But they all knew Miles and Ivan were far too Vor to do that, they’d regard it as dishonourable.  They also knew that their parents always bought Ivan and Miles a gift too and gave it to them in private.  It wasn’t that the girls were ungrateful.  They did try to treat Miles and Ivan to dinner at the Imperial Hotel once a year as a thank you, but lately it had been harder to do; what with Miles being away so much and his time sucked up when he was home.

Drou’s response was a knowing smile.  They had had this conversation every year and would probably continue to have it until the tradition ended.  Martya doubted it ever would, especially if Olivia had anything to do with it.  Martya wasn’t fooled like many people were about Olivia - she was the quietest out of her siblings (which wasn’t saying much), but Olivia had a fierce stubbornness when it came to certain beliefs - family traditions being one of them. 

“The Vorbrettens have finally arrived,” Drou said, “that was the reason I came up to speed your dressing and I’ve managed to convince Miss Sorrentti and Ensign Laurent to stay for the supper; since we have a dearth of guests I didn’t think you’d mind.”

Olivia kissed her mother’s cheek.  “Oh that’s great!  Eve’s nice, isn’t she?  Even with all her weird past, she seems quite normal.  Tatya says she can be a bit too galactic at times, but she likes her too.”

“Tatya likes _everyone_ ,” Martya said, “that’s hardly a recommendation, but I’m sure ImpSec wouldn’t have let Eve near Laisa if she was a loony.”  It was Laisa who had recommended Eve to Tatya and Rene after discovering she was on Barrayar.  Laisa had once heard Eve sing Komarran folk songs at the Embassy on Earth and it had made a strong impact.  But Tatya had said Eve wouldn’t sing as she was too busy with her degree, so she had offered her arrangements for them to use instead.  (Although there were some rumours going around that Eve was singing at non Imperial events and snubbing Laisa, but Tatya had said that wasn’t true.)

After meeting Eve, Martya had to agree that Tatya was right – Eve wasn’t like those leeches that latched onto families to see what they could get.  Eve had brushed off Martya’s apology and thanks with a laugh and a shake of her head, asked her how she was and then excused her and left her alone.  But not before Eve said that if Martya needed to talk she could listen, but that she probably wouldn’t have any useful advice.  Martya liked her honesty.  Her hair was insane, though; even half dry it was like a massive cloud of wavy twigs falling to her waist.

Drou sighed. “Well, indeed.  After you’ve all met Miss Sorrentti properly I want you to consider inviting her to stay for the weekend and to play in the game,” she held up her hand, “don’t decide yet.  Wait until you all talk to her – it has to be a joint decision between the three of you.”

“But she’s tiny!” Martya cried.

Drou gave her daughter a look.  “A comment which does you no credit.  She was very interested in our little gym and told me she exercises two hours a day – with a punch bag and often without gloves.  She’s fit enough to play.”

“Doesn’t mean anything,” Delia said.  “And honestly, mother, do you have to ask everyone about their exercise routines?”

Drou smiled.  “She’s also already played the Flag game once when she was at the Embassy. But this is your weekend so it’s your decision.  I haven’t mentioned anything to her so you won’t be offending her if you say no.  Also, I suppose you should know – Ivan doesn’t seem keen on her playing on his team, either.”

Delia sniffed.   “I bet it’s because she’s a girl.  You’d think he’d know better.”

“That and she’s not his type,” Martya said sharply.

Drou shook her head.  “Perhaps…but he’s been very attentive towards her.”

All the girls stared at her mother.  Delia sighed.  “Mother, you know that’s just Ivan being polite, it’s what he does – to their faces anyway,” Delia added. “Lady Alys would kill him if he did otherwise.”

Olivia and Martya snickered.

Drou changed the subject.  “So have you two met Ensign Laurent before?”

Martya and Delia shook their heads.  Olivia grinned and filled them in:  “He’s half Escobaran, and definitely a category two and maybe a category five.”

Delia’s eyes widened. “Really?” 

“I sincerely hope you girls _never_ tell me what those categories mean,” Drou said.  “Let’s go.”

*** 

**_How it began…_ **

Before Drou had disappeared again she’d commented that it was nice to see Duv looking so relaxed and animated, and she was glad Ivan had thought of asking Eve and her friend to stay.  Ivan just smiled, but inwardly he was cursing Duv. 

Ivan hadn’t had a chance to talk to Evie alone - not because of Laurent.  He was sat with the Commodore at the other end of the table; the Commodore giving the Ensign one of his ‘in my day’ lectures.  But Ivan did catch Laurent glances to their side of the table - intense glances which seemed to be aimed at Duv.

But Duv was busy boring Evie with the fact that he had qualifications coming out of his ears on politics, history and literature and that he’d attended the Imperial University, where Evie was currently a student.  So they were seated together at the dining table sharing anecdotes about the Professors and she was writing down his reading recommendations – he had about a thousand of them.

Then they got into a heated debate about Chekhov and Shakespeare, led by Tatya and then onto the lack of arts investment at the university and how Barrayar needed more students like Evie and if only she would look at doing more in the music field too etc etc.  Evie was hardly saying anything and Ivan was getting bored.

He half raised himself out of his chair about to excuse himself to get another drink, when he felt Evie’s hand on his knee and she gave him a desperate look.  “No one’s explained to me about this dessert supper, or how this Snow Bash Weekend works, what exactly is it?” she asked quickly.

Ivan wondered how he’d missed it. _Idiot!_ He was never usually this slow at realising when someone needed to be rescued from a pincer movement.  “I beg your pardon, Eve,” he said giving her a smile.  He swiftly sat down, catching her hand and placing it back on his knee, covering her hand with his own and squeezing it.  “I should have explained,” he added and his smile broadened when he saw her green eyes light up; his gaze lingering on the perfect curve of her neck and her perfect collar bone more exposed by his t shirt.   

So he told her all about the weekend, slowly:  Every year the Snow Bash began with a Dessert Supper.  A supper of nothing but pastries and cakes for one evening (he deliberately named many of the cakes and they got side tracked talking about their favourite bakeries) – and lots of drink.  The main living room would also be cleared for dancing every evening, there were games and of course the Flag game on the following two days.

 “We started this when the girls were kids,” Ivan explained. He didn’t mention that one of the reasons they invented the Flag game was because of the girls’ complaints to their parents that Miles never let them play their own games.  But it wasn’t their fault.  The girls were so much younger than they were and their games usually involved Ivan and Miles as galactic princesses in need of rescue from Team Koudelka.  Why he and Miles couldn’t be princes was never explained, but he suspected it had to do with the girls trying to put make-up on Miles and trying to put Ivan in one of Drou’s dresses.  It wasn’t pretty.  (Ivan couldn’t understand why he was always the one the girls wanted to put in a dress.)  There was an incriminating vid somewhere, which the girls refused to hand over.

“The rules are strict too,” Ivan said, “We all worked on it together, but my coz drew up most of them.” Yep, nothing Miles liked better than telling people what to do. 

Evie looked Ivan up and down.  “You played against them when they were _children_?” she asked, her green eyes wide and Ivan laughed.

“No, my coz was referee and I captained their cousins.” Ivan explained how it was the Koudelka cousins who played against the girls – the ones who’d been unable to stay this weekend. “But I spent most of the time with the younger ones on my shoulders.  The game was a lot different then, more like a snow ball fight.”

“But you play now?” Evie asked.

He nodded and they interlaced fingers, she squeezed his hand, cementing Ivan’s resolve to talk to her alone as soon as he could.  Yes, talk - and if she wanted to replay any of the weekend they had together he wouldn’t complain.  No way, not at all.  _It’s getting hot in here. Her scent is delicious._

Ivan cleared his throat.  “Yeah, when the girls’ got older and Drou had turned them into super martial arts athletes _that’s_ when they insisted I play.  My coz and I changed some of the rules and the game became more vicious.  So here I am,” he said dryly, “awaiting to be pummelled at their pleasure.” 

Tatya nodded, her pretty ringlets bouncing around her face.  “It is quite brutal,” she said to Eve. “Rene played once – he can’t play now, though,” she said sounding very defensive, “not with so many recitals now.  He has to protect his hands.” She leaned into him and Rene kissed his wife’s cheek. 

Ivan shook his head.  “You coward.”

Rene toasted him with his glass.  “Strategic retreat,” he said and everyone laughed. “Didn’t you introduce this game to the Barrayaran Embassy on Earth?”

Duv snorted a laugh.

“It’s the same game?” Evie asked.  “I thought it was a coincidence.”

“No it was me,” Ivan said with a sigh.  “I was asked to come up with a friendly inter embassy event during the trade talks.  It had a few hiccups at first,” Ivan said ignoring Duv’s look, figuring he was recalling the incident with Illyrica delegation and their zero sense of humour, “but it’s become a full on tournament now.  The girls weren’t too happy about me adapting the game off planet, but it’s mine too,” he said defensively.

“And it meant you didn’t have to waste your valuable time thinking of something else,” Duv said sarcastically.  Ivan nodded.  Not seeing anything wrong with that at all.

Evie had an adorable faraway look on her face.  “So we were all at the Embassy, but mine was a different time. Hmm…so in another universe we’ve probably already met.  I wonder how that went?”

But the entrance of the girls stopped anyone from asking Evie to explain what she meant and Ivan reluctantly let go of Evie’s hand as he stood to greet the Koudelka women.

***

**_The ‘uninvited’ guest_ **

All the men stood when the Goddesses entered the room and Eve lost the warmth of Ivan’s hand, but the sensations were still coiling up inside her.  _I need to talk to him before I lose my perspective - I must have perspective_ \- _I’ll explain it to him – about what I need - when we’re alone – and I won’t be distracted – I won’t let him speak – I won’t let his words warm me – I won’t be thinking of undressing him - I won’t be thinking of those shoulders – those arms – those long, strong thighs -_   Then like everyone else she was suddenly distracted by the Koudelka women en masse.

Eve had already seen Madam Koudelka in her beautiful ice blue gown but seeing her with all her girls took her breath away.  The siblings were all now dressed in the same white Grecian style gowns - draping them in chiffon to their heeled silver sandals. The only variations in their dress were in their silver threaded bodices, nipped at the waist but with differences in their décolletage: Martya’s dress had an asymmetrical neckline with one thin silver strap, Olivia had two straps and Delia’s was strapless.  (Eve was stunned at how well Martya looked.)  With the thin silver strands holding up their blonde hair, exposing their elegant necks and bare shoulders they all looked quite magnificent.    

Everyone complimented them and the girls thanked everyone smoothly - with that grace of those well used to compliments.  Commodore Koudelka looked smug as he looked at his family and Commodore Galeni stood frozen in his undress greens, so enraptured was he by his betrothed entrance.  Ivan waved his hand in front of Commodore Galeni’s face.  “Man down! Quick, get the horses!”

Commodore Galeni turned to him with a look and Ivan grinned.

“You’re going to be like this all weekend, aren’t you?” Commodore Galeni asked through gritted teeth.

“Pretty much,” Ivan said with a nod.

Then there was a loud chime at the door and Commodore Koudelka returned with Byerly Vorrutyer in tow and raised an eyebrow at his wife. 

Out of the corner of her eye Eve caught Countess Vorbretten’s worried look and Eve felt her fists clench.  Eve had met Vorrutyer at the Vorbrettens twice and had taken an instant dislike to him for several reasons.

Vorrutyer, though, was preoccupied with the girls and Madam Koudelka and didn’t notice her at first; he gave the Koudelka women an elegant low bow:  “I didn’t bring an offering, but I wish I had.” He then bowed to Tatya and saw Eve.   “I – oh, I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” he said.  “How are you? As you can see,” he said indicating to his person with a sweep of his hands, “I haven’t dropped dead.”

You could have heard a pin drop. “Well, the day’s not over yet,” Eve said.

Vorrutyer laughed.

***

**_Name that Goddess!_ **

  
Every year Byerly crashed the Snow Bash Dessert Supper, but he only stayed for a short while.  He was never invited, but he always had an excuse on hand if he felt like producing one.   It was a point of pride and honour for the Koudelkas that they would treat him as an honoured guest - as if he had been invited all along.  And also because they were not going to blink first...

Byerly was often unsettling company, even for the girls’ who had a vast experience of socialising with all manner of persons, but he was always entertaining. And it was typical of him that he gave no explanation for his odd exchange with Eve.  Delia was determined to find out what it was all about, but she could be patient - she’d get it out of Tatya easily.

Tatya wasn’t seated with her, though. She and Rene were with Eve who had moved and was now seated with her parents on the other side of the dining table.  While on Delia’s side, Byerly had launched into musings over which Grecian Goddesses the girls embodied. Ivan had disappeared after receiving a call, which he was taking in the other room.

Delia was part flattered and part wary of the list of Goddesses Byerly suggested; she knew of Byerly’s reputation too well to think this was all benign fun, but he was being encouraged by Ensign Laurent and Duv – who, Delia was unsurprised to discover, had an interest in ancient Greece.  (Duv had studied classics as an extra subject, when he was at university, for fun.)

“I don’t think I like the idea of being compared to any Goddess,” Delia said, Duv at her side and seated opposite Byerly and Ensign Laurent.  “Most Goddesses seem capricious and cold.”

“I don’t see anything wrong with being capricious,” Ensign Laurent said with a peculiar smile, “and I’ve never thought of them as cold.  They all seem to have very colourful lovers and many, many of them – especially the ones I’ve seen on history-vids.”  His smile broadened as he looked at Delia.  “I’ll send you copies if you like.”

Delia knew exactly what kind of vids he was talking about, and there was nothing historical about them except for their clothes – or lack of.  But Delia, well used to flirty officers, didn’t even blink.  She gave him a smile.  “Thanks but there’s no need for you to go to any trouble.”

“Oh, it wouldn’t be any trouble,” he said glancing from Duv to her, and then back to Duv with an intense look that made Delia suddenly feel very territorial. There was something quite vulpine about Laurent’s look, probably due to his high sharp cheekbones and green tilted eyes.  “You and Miss Delia should both watch them, Commodore, sir.  Then we could get your academic opinion on how realistic it is.  Perhaps we could all watch them together?  It’s more…fun to watch those kind of educational vids with company.”

Duv in the blandest of tones said he was too busy to watch anything these days, which saved Delia from responding to the Ensign’s filthy suggestion.  The Ensign shrugged, smiled and went back to sipping his wine and looking around the table for which of the platter of cakes to try next.

Delia was surprised Byerly didn’t encourage the Ensign further, but instead Byerly turned back to Delia and continued his Goddess search.  “What about Artemis – huntress and friend of the animals, nature and childbirth?  She sounds quite tame.”

Delia bristled, but responded with a smile.  “I think I would prefer her to Aphrodite.”

Martya frowned.  “You’ve not mentioned Athena.  I like her, she sounds more like me, practical _and_ she’s the Goddess of wisdom – hey!” Olivia had snorted and laughed. Martya hit her on the arm.

Byerly was looking across at Eve, then back at Delia.  “Artemis over Aphrodite – that is interesting.  Did you know Artemis was a friend of the Dryads too and they were part of her retinue?” And then looking over at Eve, he raised his voice enough for everyone hear him say.  “Miss Sorrentti knows all about wood nymphs and even has a Dryad name – Penelope.”

Everyone looked at Eve and Eve looked across at him with a very hostile look.  Byerly held up his hands defensively.  “It was Sebastian who called you a fey wood nymph not me, isn’t that right, Rene?” 

“Penelope?” Olivia asked Eve.  “Is that your full name?”

“Penelope is my middle name,” Eve explained, not taking her eyes of Byerly. “Only my da calls me that, no one else is permitted.”

Delia wondered how Byerly even knew Eve’s middle name in the first place but she wasn’t surprised at Sebastian calling Eve a wood nymph, though.  Sebastian was Rene’s secretary and the kind of person who never forgot anyone’s name and although always complimentary, it never came across as false.

Rene looked a little put out by this conversation and whispered something to Eve and her eyes widened and she laughed and patted his arm and said:  “Don’t be daft, of course not.”  Delia noted again how over familiar Eve was with people. She’d seen her rest her hand on Duv’s arm too - twice.

Tatya smiled.  “Sebastian was quite taken with Eve’s hair,” she said defensively. Delia looked at Eve’s mass of brown hair that was in serious need of any kind of hairstyle and she wasn’t surprised Sebastian had compared her to a tree.  “I see what he means,” Tatya said fondly, “there is something about Eve that is very…”

“Wood like?” Byerly suggested.  Tatya blushed, but Eve rolled her eyes at Byerly and whispered something low to Tatya who laughed, put her hand over her mouth and blushed again.

“Well we all know what Sebastian is like,” Delia said, feeling the need to defuse the conversation, “he always finds something nice to say about every woman he meets.”  Then she realised how it sounded when she saw Byerly’s raised eyebrow, but before she could explain what she meant Eve laughed.

“Yes, he’s very sweet, although I think my resemblance to any mythical wood nymph ends at my hair.  I imagine they’re more willowy than me.”

“Who’s willowy?”  Ivan asked coming into the room.  He seated himself opposite Eve and Eve’s entire face lit up.  Ivan smiled at her but Delia had seen him bestow that smile on many women - it didn’t mean a thing. Delia exchanged a look with her siblings, and she knew that an intervention was necessary.

“Dryads, sir,” Ensign Laurent said with a twist in his smile. “Byerly Vorrutyer was just saying if Miss Delia was the Goddess Artemis, Eve would be her Dryad servant.  That’s about right, isn’t it?”

Instead of correcting the Ensign, Byerly gave an elegant shrug.  “If that’s your interpretation, Ensign.”

“But I’d make a terrible servant,” Eve said, before Delia could change this deteriorating subject.  “I once tried to serve people as a waitress at a bakery – I wasn’t very good.  Do you remember, Stefan, the incident with the chocolate clusters?”

There was a weight to her last words, and Ensign Laurent smiled a softer smile and blew Eve a kiss.  “I remember, dearest.”

Ivan then asked if there was any lemon seedcake left.  Martya told him to go look in the kitchen and find out for himself and he told her he’d been assigned laundry duty for the weekend not cake duty and they had one of their friendly spats, which took the conversation in a thankfully different direction.

***

**_Two’s company, three’s a team_ **

“What’s wrong?”  Eve whispered.  She’d managed to find some privacy with Stefan after Ivan said they could use his room; a room which had Ivan’s scent all over it.  It was a small box room where you hit the bed as soon as you walked in.  Ivan’s valise was at the end of the bed, as yet unpacked.  She suddenly recalled trying on his House Uniform and the feel of it on her bare skin.

“You know I hate these pseudo Vor families,” Stefan said interrupting her pleasant reverie.

Eve smiled and reached up to stroke Stefan’s gold brown hair. She shook her head.  “Hate’s too strong a word, you don’t mean that and you can’t call them pseudo Vors.  You know Madam Koudelka and her husband were at the sharp end of the Pretendership.  They’re legends not leeches.”

Stefan waved his hand.  “You know what I mean.  They’re part of that world, especially that Vorrutyer and those girls.  They’re never going to realise your worth, dearest.  They’re incapable of it; you don’t fit their Vor filter.”

Eve sighed and kissed his cheek.  “You have to stop worrying about me.  I’m not asking for them or anyone to approve of me at any level, you know that.  And you’re not giving those girls a chance.  Look, love, I came here to give the disks to the Vorbrettens and I’ve done it.  So we can go…soon.”

“Why can’t we go now?  What are we waiting for?” he asked, moving away and sitting on Ivan’s bed.  Eve was pondering on how to tell him, knowing that when she said it out loud she’d have to put a name to her feelings. 

Stefan leaned back and began stroking the sheets.  “So…this is the Captain’s bed…” 

She frowned.  “Don’t do that,” she said sharply.

“Why not?”

Eve knew that mischievous look well.  “Damn it, how do you know?” 

He laughed.  “The way you lit up when you saw him - I’m sure the entire galaxy knows.  Tell me.”

“Oh,” Eve said disconcerted.  She knew how transparent her emotions were, but she was sure she had a rein on this – apparently not.  So she told Stefan - not all the detail - but how they met, how Ivan had asked her to stay for breakfast, then lunch, then dinner and how he cancelled his plans and how they both stayed in his apartment the whole weekend.

“So that’s where you were!  See, didn’t I tell you trusting your instincts would be better than your usual way of dating?”

“Those two week trials were sensible!” But Stefan was right; they’d never worked for her.  

Stefan sat up and gave her a sharp look.  “Does the Captain know about your _retreats_?”   Stefan’s question translated to _Does he know you’re part of team of girls being trained by ImpSec?_

Eve shook her head and because she didn’t know who may be listening she said carefully.  “He knows I went on a retreat but not the detail.  But it’s a moot point.  I like him too much.  I’ve never liked anyone like this.”

“Yeah, I can tell,” Stefan smiled and then narrowed his eyes at her, “but?”

She stood up straighter and gave him a determined look.  “I have to tell him where I stand.  I’ll be honest.  I have to be realistic.”

“Eve –“

There was a knock on the door.  “May I come in?”

Stefan laughed as she eagerly went to open the door to Ivan.

Ivan glanced at Stefan when he entered and Eve was surprised to see it made Stefan sit up straighter. Ivan then turned back to Eve with a more tender look and that smile.   “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You weren’t, we’re done,” she said, as he stepped in and closed the door.  “Besides,” she continued, “this is good.  We can talk now before I leave?” She closed the gap between them, but Ivan stepped away and said, after glancing from Stefan back to her: “Commodore Koudelka sent me up to see if everything was all right.”

Eve frowned and stepped back too, clasping her hands and telling herself not to fidget.  “Oh. That’s ….nice but we’ve not been gone that long.” 

“I think we’ve been gone long enough,” Stefan said with a slow sardonic grin, “for two people of the opposite sex in a closed room, right?” He turned to Ivan and he chuckled.  “You should have told him he was barking up the wrong dryad.” 

Eve laughed and even Ivan couldn’t help smiling at that one.  “The Commodore also wanted me to remind you that the dancing starts soon and it’s likely he may come up to hurry us down.”

“Oh, I see,” Eve said suddenly recalling that Delia and Duv had been put in separate rooms…  “So you’re here to chaperone us wayward galactics?”  Eve was a touch amused and also scolded herself for not realising the lay of the land in the Koudelka household.  The last thing she wanted to do was to create any waves.  “So we can’t talk?” she asked.

“Not right now.”

Eve nodded.  “All right.” She cleared her throat.  “I understand.  Stefan you ready to go?”

“Whenever you are, dearest,” he said.

Ivan looked surprised.  “Wait!  You can’t leave, not yet.”

Eve tried to smile but couldn’t.  “You can call me when you’re free.  I see it’s going to be difficult here,” she said but he blocked her way to the door shaking his head. 

“No, you don’t understand.  That’s what I wanted to say.  We’ll have plenty of time to talk, if you play on my team tomorrow because all the players stay the night – that’s part of the tradition.  You’ll be staying in Delia’s room.  Is that all right?”

She heard Stefan say _I knew it_ butEve wasn’t sure she heard Ivan correctly.  “Eh - _what?”_

“It’s three against three this year, but I’m still one down and you’ve played before so you know what it’s like.”

“But what about the sisters, are they all right with it?  You said they have final approval on your team.”

"It was their idea."

She noted the tone in his voice and laughed.  “It was?”

“Of course it was!” he said with that grin.  “I told you they make most of the decisions this weekend.  They’ve also decided there’ll only be one game because I have a novice team, they think it’s unfair we play more than one.  So it’ll just be tomorrow.  One game - winner takes all. They even sent my coz an urgent memo to tell him what they’ve done.  I wish I could see his face when he gets it.”

Eve thought he must be joking since she knew full well his cousin was Auditor Lord Vorkosigan.  She couldn’t imagine the Koudelka girls doing anything that frivolous, especially not to an Auditor!

“Have you won many games?” Eve asked, playing for time.

Ivan hesitated then shook his head.  “Truth?  No.  And I’m not expecting to win.  Those girls have played together for years.  They’re a solid, tight knit team.”

“So you don’t mind losing?” she asked surprise at this resigned tone. “It’s just a bit of fun?”

“God, no!  It’s deadly serious.”

She laughed and tried to be sensible.  She looked at Stefan who looked concerned.  _Staying the night in the Koudelka household…yes or no…that’s what I need to think about, where it will take me, what path, is it a crossroads..._ But all she could think was _Ivan, Ivan, Ivan._ Eve gave herself a mental slap. _Be sensible Sorrentti!_

Eve chewed on her lip.  “If I stay we have to very discreet I take it, so the Koudelkas don’t suspect anything?”

Ivan nodded.  “That’s probably best, yes.”

Stefan looked at Eve’s face and laughed. 

Eve shook her head.  “I’m sorry, Ivan.  I can’t stay.  I can just about deal with being in this house and not being able to be with you tonight, but if you think I can hide how I feel about you, I can’t.”

“You’re misunderstanding,” Ivan said shaking his head.

“Yes,” Stefan said, interrupting Ivan before he could elaborate.  “Eve, dearest, even if everyone can see you like the Captain, they’ll think it’s perfectly natural.  It’s only if the Captain reciprocates that they’ll think anything of it – persons of the Captain’s class don’t usually have such insightful, excellent taste.  No offence, sir,” Stefan said a hostile edge to his tone.

Eve touched Stefan’s arm.  “You’ll have to excuse Stefan,” Eve said looking her friend in the eye. “He’s witnessed many of my…mistakes, but what he forgets is I’ve learned from them.  Let me handle this, Stefan,” she said gently.  “Ivan and I don’t even know if we’re going to see each other again.”

“We don’t?”  Ivan asked surprised moving closer to her.  “But you’re having dinner with me next week at the Snow Maiden.”

“But that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Eve said.

“The Snow Maiden?”  Stefan asked in surprise. The Snow Maiden was one of those restaurants everyone talked about and no one could ever get a table.  He turned to Ivan.  “Sorry, sir, I thought-“

“Yeah, I know what you thought,” he said giving Stefan a hard look until Eve startled them both by taking one of their hands in each of hers and kissing each one lightly.

“Please don’t do this,” she said quietly looking up at them both.  Stefan kissed her hand in return and moved back and sat on the bed a smile on his face.  He mouthed a sorry and looked at Ivan curiously. 

“I can see what Stefan means, though,” Eve continued, still holding Ivan’s hand.  “If you’re able to seem more disinterested than I am then I think it’ll be alright if people see I like you.  No one will suspect anything.  I’m quite comfy with that.”

“When I said you misunderstood,” Ivan said lowering his voice and not looking comfortable at all, as he closed the gap between them, taking her other hand. “I meant that you would be in Delia’s room, but if you wanted to come to mine –“

“Oh! Really?” she asked beaming at this news.  “You don’t mind risking it?  But I don’t want to get you into trouble; Madam Koudelka and her husband are such sweeties and they seem to like you a lot.” 

Ivan took her by surprise with a soft, tender kiss that made her blood fizz.  “Never met anyone like you,” he whispered with a look she was sure she matched.

Not knowing what he was referring to in particular, she said softly:  “I suspect you don’t get out much, Captain.  Gosh your eyes are really pretty.”  
  
A loud knock on the door jolted all of them.  “Anyone in there?” 

***


	3. The Lovers Dance

 

**_Second thoughts, maybe._ **

“I don’t know what you mean, Martya.”

Martya had been abandoned: Ivan, the Ensign and the dryad were upstairs, her parents had taken the Vorbrettens into the other room to show them Da’s dream plans for the garden (that they couldn’t afford) and she was stuck with entertaining Byerly. Delia and Duv were in the room, but at the other end, on the sofa talking in hushed tones.

“The digs you were making at Eve,” Martya said, “not once did you mention her clothes.  I’m surprised.”  Finding Eve barefoot and in only leggings and an oversized t shirt, Martya was sure Byerly would have had something to say.  She was also surprised Byerly hadn’t made any greekie jokes considering how they were dressed, but Byerly was never predictable.

Byerly looked at her in mock shock.  “I never made any _digs_ about Eve, Martya.  I only repeated Sebastian’s opinion.  And as for her attire: her hair was damp, she was in clothes not her own – it’s not hard to deduce she was in a recent spillage incident.”

“Vomit, actually,”

Byerly smiled.  “A spillage of a specific sort, then.”

“Aren’t you curious about whose vomit it was?”

Byerly pulled a face.  “Not particularly and you may be surprised to know I like the way Miss Sorrentti usually dresses. It’s refreshing to see a woman who doesn’t care for the latest Barrayaran fashions.  I’m hoping her thigh high boots catch on at all the balls.”

Martya wasn’t sure if Byerly was on the level or not, so she was about to change the subject when he said:  “Now that your sisters are leaving home have you decided what _you’re_ going to do next?”

Martya blinked and laughed but her stomach had dropped.  “Only Delia’s betrothed.” _Maybe I should have said yes to Ivan?  Urgh. No._

“Yes, but Kareen’s with her clone and a half on Beta, isn’t she?”

Martya tried not to laugh, and repeated Kareen’s standard line.  “Kareen is there to study and she and Lord Mark are just friends.”

“Of course they are,” Byerly said, his finger tracing the rim of his wine glass.  “But leaving Vorkosigan aside – all of him - Kareen _isn’t_ on Barrayar.”

“She will be.  She’s coming back for the wedding and she’ll have finished her studies there.”

Byerly nodded and gave her a thoughtful look. “I’m sure you know your sibling better than I do, Martya, dear, but now that she’s had a taste of all things Galactic, do you genuinely think she’ll come home to stay - after all her determination to study off planet?”  He smiled.  “It must be hard on you, her doing what you all wanted to do.”

“I never wanted to go to Beta.” The voice in her head thought otherwise - _Didn’t you?  Wouldn’t you like to be there now?  Wouldn’t you like to be anywhere but here?  If you married Ivan you could at least leave home and it’s not as if you’d have to spend all your time with the twit. And he’s solvent. And harmless.   He could still be an option.  I could still have him if I wanted him._ Martya suddenly felt that smothering feeling again.

“Perhaps not Beta, but maybe a Betan?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“What I mean is I’m surprised you and Olivia keep teasing those poor Barrayaran officers.  You girls are never going to give them a serious chance.”

Martya looked at him sharply.  “You’re assuming a lot, Byerly.”

Byerly tilted his head.  “Oh, it isn’t an assumption.”

“Delia’s marrying an officer in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“I said _Barrayaran_ officer, Martya.”

Martya’s head started to hurt, as Byerly continued - clearly enjoying himself.  “Did you know that the officers had a pool running about you girls? Your rejection of Ivan lost a lot of people a lot of money.” 

Martya stared.  “What?”

“Offended?”  He asked, looking amused.  “I know for a fact you ladies have your own bets running – Lady Donna hasn’t lost a bet yet.  The bets for you are now swinging the other way, of course; you’ve probably noticed an increase in a certain kind of traffic?  More Galactic, perhaps?”

Martya’s headache had started to roar, which was making it hard to concentrate but Byerly was right.  She had been receiving messages and invitations from non Barrayarans more than anyone else, and hardly any from the officers who regularly used to contact her – the Barrayaran ones.  Martya was bored to the back teeth with officers, but damn it, she was one of their favourites!

Byerly smiled.  “They’re a sensitive lot those boys, how they ever became officers I don’t know.  But they appear to have taken it personally: Delia choosing her Komarran star and your rejection of our freshly promoted, popular _Barrayaran_ Ivan – very popular with the junior officers I should add.  I’ve always found it –“

“How could he!”  Martya said suddenly.  “How could Ivan do that!?”

“I don’t think you can put all the blame on him, dear,” Byerly said with an irritating calmness and a glint in his eye.

“What’s going on?”  Delia asked coming across and giving her sister a hard look but Martya was furious.

“Ivan! Spreading God knows what about me – just because we rejected his pro –“

“We can talk about this later,” Delia said, grabbing Martya’s arm.  “Excuse me, Byerly, I need Martya to help me with my dress.” 

Byerly nodded and had already raised himself out of his chair.  He was heading for the stairs when Delia closed the kitchen door.

***

**_Kitchen – Delia isn’t happy_ **

“You idiot!  God damn it, Martya!”

Martya splashed cold water on her face.  “It was a slip – I don’t know what came over me.”

“No one but our families know I turned down Ivan’s proposal.  It will probably come out, but if it does I want it to come from Ivan, not from your mouth to Byerly Vorrutyer’s!”

“Delia-“

“As exasperating as Ivan is, I wouldn’t do that to him! Don’t you think he’s humiliated enough?”

Martya stared at her sister.  “Ivan?  Humiliated?  I’m sure he got over those rejections overnight - if not sooner, but I take your point.  I can’t believe I nearly blurted it to Byerly.”

“You may as well have said it.  You said enough. What the hell brought this on?”  Martya told Delia what Byerly had said, but only the part about the officers, not the part about him asking what her plans were – the part that was stinging her more. 

Delia wasn’t surprised.  “You don’t seriously think Ivan is encouraging those boys not to contact you?  He wouldn’t dare and he’d see it as too much trouble! This is your own fault for being so vocal about rejecting him.”

“I didn’t mean to – I didn’t realise someone would hear and – oh all right, I wasn’t even thinking.”

“Something you’ve been very good at of late.”

“Hey!” Martya said sharply.  “Some of us make mistakes, not of all us were born perfect –“

“Oh don’t give me that crap!   This isn’t like you.  I don’t know what’s going on with you and I know you don’t want to tell me - that’s fine.  But whatever it is, you have to deal with it, get over it and move on.  I need you this weekend, Martya, not just for the game but because of this Eve.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ivan.  You’ve seen the way she looks at him.  One of us has to set her straight.  I don’t want her to get crushed by him.”

***

**_Ivan’s Room – Gossip, gossip, gossip_ **

“What does he want?”  Eve asked startled staring at the door.

“This isn’t our room, dearest,” Stefan pointed out.

“Oh, right,” she said and turned back to Ivan, who was smiling. “Sorry.”

“S’alright.  You just said what I was thinking.  So…you’ll stay?”

Eve nodded.  “Yes, I’ll stay, we’ll talk about that dinner and I’ll help you win.”

“Thank you,” Ivan grinned but when he opened the door he wasn’t smiling.  “Yes?”

Vorrutyer pushed passed him.  “Thank you.”

“I didn’t invite you in,” Ivan said.

“There’s no need to apologise,” Vorrutyer said waving his hand.  He looked around the room.  “This room is smaller than I remember.”

“You’ve never been in here,” Ivan said, although he sounded slightly exasperated his features were unreadable .  Eve was amazed and tried not to be disconcerted at how easily Ivan did that. 

“Then it’s smaller than a room I remember,” Vorrutyer said, sitting down on the only small chair in the room.  “Yes, I will sit down, thank you.” And he turned to Eve. “I thought you’d left.”

“I was hoping you had,” she said and he grinned.

“What, and leave before I get to hear you sing?”

Eve laughed.  “You heard me sing at the Vorbrettens and didn’t like it!  Not that I mind,” she added. “Musical taste should be subjective.” 

“I completely disagree…but I hear the Marinov family love your singing.”

Eve was surprised but she saw by Ivan’s expression that he wasn’t. “How do you know I sang there?  Were you at the wedding?”

Vorrutyer tilted his head and examined her face.  “You really don’t know?  You’ve not heard?”

Eve looked at Stefan and Ivan.  “Do you know what he’s talking about?”

Stefan shrugged.  Vorrutyer turned to look at Ivan - who had moved closer to Eve but wasn’t giving anything away. 

“It’s probably just gossip,” Ivan said dismissively.

Vorrutyer gave Eve a thoughtful look.  “Well, you won’t believe me.  You should ask Countess Vorbretten.”

“Just tell me,” Eve said.  “And try and keep it down to less than a thousand words.”

“Do you also only require words of only one syllable?”

Eve shook her head in amazement.  “How is it that no one’s killed you yet?” 

Vorrutyer laughed and looked genuinely amused by what she’d said.  _Such an odd man._

“If it was a headline,” Vorrutyer said, surveying her, “it would probably read – Eve Sorrentti snubs Laisa Toscane to sing at unknown Ensign’s wedding.”

“Lieutenant,” Ivan corrected.

Vorrutyer shrugged.  “Doesn’t matter.”

“I’m sure it matters to Marinov,” Stefan said with a grin.  “Just on the pay alone.”

“But I didn’t snub anyone!”  Eve said staring at all three of them.

Stefan waved a hand.  “We know that, dearest.  It’s just gossip.”

Vorrutyer hammered it home.  “Not quite, Ensign.”  He looked at Eve.  “Didn’t you tell everyone you couldn’t sing at any of the Imperial events because you were too busy with your degree, and then go on to sing at this _Lieutenant’s_ wedding?”

 _Everyone?_   She’d only told the Vorbrettens and Laisa and although there had been attempts to persuade her, they had seemed to understand.

“It wasn’t like that,” Eve said incredulous.  “I only sang to distract the guests because the wedding was delayed.  The bride’s cousin asked me and –“

“What was his name?” Ivan and Vorrutyer both asked together, but in different tones.

Eve stared at them both. “I need to speak to Tatya.”

“I’ll get her,” Ivan said.  He stepped outside the room, whistled loudly and then shouted: “Olivia!”

There was a door opening and closing and Olivia yelling back:  “Don’t whistle for me like I’m your pet dog!”

“Can you send Tatya and Rene up, please?”

“What do I get if I do?”

“I’ll give you a treat.”

 “It better be a chocolate treat!”

*** 

Ivan’s room was now crowded.  Stefan came back in to the room and sat on the bed next to Vorrutyer, who had moved to give up his seat to Tatya.  Eve was sat on the other side of Stefan since she couldn’t pace and Delia and Duv were in the corner having tagged along with Tatya and Rene.

“What were you and Ivan talking about?”  Eve asked.  Stefan leaned in and whispered to her.  “Don’t worry, I just told him the truth: if he wants you he has to be honest, and if he wants to lose you all he has to do is lie.  I had to say something, dearest.”

Eve nodded.  What Stefan had said to Ivan was the truth, not that anyone ever believed her need for the truth. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”   Stefan was now looking at Duv and Delia.

“I seriously doubt it, Stefan.”

“Not even in this crowded bedroom?  No fantasies tussling your buzz?” 

“No,” she said jabbing him in the waist with her elbow and trying not to laugh.  He hugged her.  “Better...Eve, are you sure about all this sneaking around?”

“It’s not sneaking,” Eve whispered back.  “It’s respecting the wishes of your hosts.”

“It’s hypocrisy.  Although, I suppose, I’m one to talk.”

“You are discreet, Stefan, there’s a difference. Well, sometimes you’re discreet.” Stefan grinned and Eve added, “It’s Barrayar, love – it’s complicated.”

Stefan nodded.  “Remember this Laisa Toscane thing isn’t your fault.  It’s Vor politics.”

There were many people who didn’t like the Emperor’s choice of bride and it looked like someone was using Eve as a stick to beat her with.  Tatya had assumed Eve had heard all about the gossip and although Tatya told her the truth, Vorrutyer was more forthcoming.  It had started off as a little thing but had gained momentum to become ‘even someone as insignificant as that singer is snubbing Laisa Toscane’.

Ivan returned and stood next to her and she now had a pleasantly distracting view of his back and backside.

“How do I fix this, Tatya?”  Eve asked.

Rene, stood behind Tatya’s chair, looked at her in surprise.  “You want to?”

“It’s malicious gossip and should be ignored,” Duv said. “Laisa can handle gossip like this, Eve,” Duv said proudly. 

“That doesn’t mean she should have to,” Eve said. “I’m sure she has enough on her plate.  I’ve been an outsider all my life, Duv and I’ve handled it fine.  That doesn’t mean I didn’t want things to be easier.”  Duv opened his mouth to say something then closed it and gave her a nod.  Eve turned back to Tatya. 

“Any ideas?”  

Tatya looked pleased.   “Four events should provide the right antidote.  Laisa and I wanted you for the Winter Garden party but it’s a full bill.  Some people know we wanted you to sing there and I think that’s how this may have started,” she said guiltily.

Eve shook her head. “No, this is no one’s fault.  Who did you get instead?”

“No one is singing folk songs,” Tatya said, “but the main act is the Soprano Madam Vorkouskoff -”

“Good God,” Stefan said.  “Why?”

Everyone looked at Stefan in surprise and Rene started to wax rhapsodic about her singing.  Eve noticed that Tatya said nothing.

“I’m sure she’s fine singer, sir,” Stefan said when Rene took a breath.  “But she’s also an utter bi–“

“Stefan, please don’t,” Eve said.  She turned to Tatya.  “This works in our favour.  If you tell your soprano you were going to have me sing too, it will be perfect.  She hates me.  She’ll tell everyone I’m not singing because she wouldn’t perform if I did – which is true by the way.  She’ll spread it around how much superior she is to me.  It’s perfect!”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Tatya asked.  Eve realised by her tone that Tatya knew she was right. 

Eve nodded.  Vorrutyer looked from Rene to Tatya. “So _you’re_ doing all the liaising?”

“I have a couple of aunts like Madam Vorkouskoff,” Tatya explained.  “I’m used to it.” 

Stefan stared at her.  “You deserve a bloody medal, Countess.  That… _woman_ tried to get Eve fired when she was at the Embassy.”

Eve laughed.  “Yeah.  She said some quite lovely things about me.  I’ve never forgotten them.”

“Like what?”  Vorrutyer asked.

“You don’t have to say,” Ivan said quietly.

Eve smiled.  “It’s all right.  She said my half breed presence was polluting the Embassy almost as much as my amateur, putrid folk singing,” she turned to Vorrutyer. “You’d probably like her.”

There was a silence broken by Ivan.  “She said that to your face?”

“Yeah, but I’ve heard worse than that.  It was a long time ago, though.  Not worth discussing,” she said pointedly to Stefan.

“What that woman didn’t like,” Stefan said ignoring Eve’s looks, “was that Eve told her off for tearing strips off some violinist before she was about to perform.”

“Defending the meek and talentless even then, Eve?”  Vorrutyer asked.

Vorrutyer was referring to the spat she’d had with him at the Vorbrettens.  It was over one of the musicians Vorrutyer had criticised - including a comment that the musician talked like she’d _un_ swallowed a dictionary.  When Eve had asked Vorrutyer to apologise to the upset musician Vorrutyer insisted the musician should be the one to apologise for eavesdropping in the first place.  Eve’s heated spat with Vorrutyer ended with her telling him to drop dead - because just like now, she didn’t know what to say to him.  She turned to Tatya, “Four events only, Tatya, but let me know which ones as soon as you can.  My course load-“

“I understand, Eve, really I do.  This is wonderful.  Laisa will be so happy.”

Eve doubted that.  She was sure Laisa was beginning to regret asking Eve to sing in the first place.

“Now that’s all cleared up, let’s leave Eve and Tatya alone.  I’m sure they have things to discuss,” Delia said significantly.

Eve looked at Tatya who didn’t contradict Delia but she looked uncomfortable.

**_***_ **

**_Game #1 The Lovers Dance - And the winner is…?_ **

Everyone had congregated back into the room. The tables had been moved and as Snow Bash tradition dictated the dancing would start - unusually - with what was commonly the last dance at many of the balls.

“At the balls, Delia and Ivan always partnered up for this one,” Martya explained to Eve who sat at her side.  “I don’t think they’ve ever lost.  They’re always the last couple on the floor.”

“They make a fortune cos of the idiots who still think it’s worth betting against them,” Olivia said at Eve’s other side.  “Although today, Delia will be with Duv – she’s been training him for weeks.”

Martya swallowed her comment that Delia had been training Duv since she’d caught him.  Duv had avoided dancing this particular dance at the balls, but Delia wasn’t having that.  The Last Dance - also called The Forbidden Dance and The Lovers Dance – was all no touching and limited eye contact; rules that many couples found hard to obey or remember.

Martya grimaced _.  Oh great, this means Ivan’ll ask me instead and I’ll have to partner up with the twit. I really could do without this. I could do with sitting this dance out - could do with sitting the whole damn weekend out._ Martya looked over at Ivan talking to her mother and thought again about marrying him and how if she did, all the ways she could spend as little time with him as possible. “Twit,” she muttered and realised suddenly she’d said it out loud.

But Olivia had distracted Eve with a compliment about Eve’s freshly washed tailored jacket, which she was wearing over Ivan’s t shirt since her dresses were still too…pungent.

“Thanks,” Eve said.  “You’re very kind.” She stroked the sleeve of her long blue synthasuede jacket that kicked out at the hip. “I have the same style in seven colours – same with my boots.  When I like a style I tend to do that.” She grinned.  “Although Ivan says my jacket looks like an old fashioned riding coat, and keeps asking me where I’ve parked my horse.”

Olivia laughed and Martya squirmed at the ‘Ivan says’.  First name terms already and it reminded her of Tatya’s first year with Rene when Tatya’s every other sentence would start with ‘Rene says’ until Martya had tactfully pointed out to Tatya how it sounded.

Ivan walked over with that irritating grin, and she had a retort ready for when he asked her to dance - but he didn’t ask her.  He asked Eve.

Eve.

Eve who said of course she would dance with him, as she knew his usual partner was taken. Eve, who said she knew all the Barrayaran dances including two which involved knives and Ivan asked her to tell him more…

“Well that’s let you off the hook!”  Olivia said watching them leave and then she looked at Martya and frowned.  “What’s wrong with you?  You’re not upset he’s asked Eve, are you?”

“Hardly!”

Olivia looked over at Eve and Ivan and back at Martya.  “You know she’s got no one else to dance with. Laurent says he doesn’t dance, and I think she’d rather kill herself than dance with Byerly.  I think it’s sweet Ivan asked her.”

“Oh you do, do you?  You think it’s sweet that she’s going to get the wrong idea about that twit and think he’s serious about her?”

Olivia looked taken aback by Martya’s vehement tone and even Martya was surprised at herself.

Olivia lowered her voice.  “I’ve already told you.  Tatya spoke to Eve about him and she said Eve understands - said Eve’s quite sensible and she’s not naïve when it comes to men.

”Martya looked over at Eve and the soft smile she was bestowing on Ivan.  Ivan’s features were friendly but not overly so, although his eyes looked very bright as he talked to Eve.  He was probably a little drunk.  

“Maybe not,” Martya said, “but the Barrayaran Vor male is a species unto itself.  You’ll have to say something too, to make sure she understands.”

“The hell I will!” Olivia declared.  “We agreed Tatya should do it and she has and she wasn’t happy about it.  She’s worried Ivan will find out she’s interfered.”

“Interfered? She’s only reminded Eve who Ivan and his family are and knowing Tatya she probably wasn’t blunt enough.   Do you want Eve to get hurt?”

Olivia looked uncomfortable.  “No, but I’m with Tatya on this. We should leave it alone.”

“Olivia, she’s staying here overnight and so is Ivan.  We have to nip this in the bud.”

 Delia walked over.  “Are you really dancing with Byerly?” she asked Olivia who nodded.

“Yeah, why not?” Olivia shrugged.  “And that suit he’s wearing really shows off his…assets, don’t you think?”

“No,” Delia said and turned to Martya.  “You sitting this out?”

“Headache.”

“Ivan didn’t ask you, did he?”

“Got a point, Koudelka?” 

“Think I just made it,” Delia said and frowned at Eve and Ivan in conversation. “Are you sure Tatya spoke to Eve, Olivia?  Maybe she wasn’t clear…”

***

Olivia and Byerly left the dance.  Byerly broke the no talking rule and Olivia had burst out laughing at his comment and looked directly at him.  Her father had tapped her on the shoulder and her mother adjudicating from the other side, signalled to Byerly to leave the floor.  Neither of them was upset and Olivia, who knew how much Delia had practised with Duv, was sure her sister would win.  Dancing was something Olivia was never competitive about.  So they stood to the side with Laurent who turned to Byerly with an intense look.  “You’re not bad.  I had an excellent view.”

“Thank you for that detailed critique,” Byerly deadpanned, “I had no idea you were a dancing expert, _Ensign_.”

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about your dancing,” Laurent murmured and turned to Olivia with a grin.  “Your dancing was very graceful.”

“Oh- well – thanks, but out of my siblings Delia’s the best one to watch – dance,” she added quickly.  “Good dancer, very elegant.  Excuse me.”

Olivia moved to the other side of the room to find a drink and tried not to stare when Laurent swiftly put something in Byerly’s top pocket and then turned to watch Delia.  Laurent then made a comment, which caused Byerly to raise an eyebrow and shake his head slightly.  He looked in the direction Laurent was looking and Olivia realised she’d got it wrong.  Laurent wasn’t looking at Delia, he was looking at Duv.  _Huh._   

***

Tatya was furious at herself. It was making her think about the dance steps, which was unhelpful.  It was easier if you didn’t think about them. If you did, you had to either look at the floor all the time, or remember the brief moments when you could look up and _wouldn’t_ meet your partner’s eyes.

The couples started off on opposite sides of the room and the dance brought them closer to their partner in a series of steps, the climax of which was the only point of the dance you could look at your partner for a length of time. But it was a long way off. 

Few couples reached that point.  Even Ivan and Delia rarely did but it didn’t matter, as the object wasn’t to finish the dance anymore - it was to be the last couple left and in the past Delia and Ivan were always the last couple. 

Tatya stopped looking at the floor and when she turned safely sideways she could see the other women who were left.  Olivia was gone but Delia and Eve were still dancing.

Tatya smiled and then felt her heart sink again and hoped Eve would still go with her to see The Cherry Orchard musical at the university.  (Rene didn’t approve of making musicals out of plays and refused to see it - he could be such a snob sometimes.) But Eve had said it was well done, very funny in parts and that she wouldn’t mind seeing it again. 

But then Eve did have an odd sense of humour, and said some quite shocking (but educational) things, but at least she didn’t try and protect her or patronise her.  (And Eve did buy her those thigh boots that not only made Tatya feel quite pleasantly wicked, but had the most startling effect on Rene.)

Tatya was hoping the Koudelka girls would like Eve as much as she did, and she had intended to ask Olivia to join them for the musical until Olivia had told her to speak to Eve about Ivan, and Tatya found herself unable to say no - even though she was sure the girls were overreacting.  She felt like she was at school again and getting pulled into scrapes again with Team Koudelka.  Although she had to admit most of the scrapes had been fun.  

Eve, though, hadn’t been surprised:  “Don’t you worry, Tatya.  I know who Ivan’s mother is and who his uncle is and the rest; I’m not naïve.  I may never see him after this weekend. But if anything does happen, Tatya, it should be on our own heads - don’t you think?” And then Eve had kissed Tatya’s cheek, which only slightly softened the chastisement of her interference.   

Tatya sighed, turned, looked up and met Rene’s beautiful eyes across the floor, he smiled and then frowned.  They were asked to leave the floor.

***

“Who you betting on?”  Olivia asked.

“Vorpatril and Eve,” Byerly said.  “Tatya?”

Tatya gave a smile and shrug as if she wasn’t sure, but she was troubled. 

Duv and Delia were dancing perfectly. Duv had a permanent slight grimace as he concentrated and he was slightly off Delia’s centre, but that was quite common and other than that they hadn’t so much as stumbled, their gazes steadily averted from each other. 

Ivan and Eve were…different.  Not only were they synchronised, but they looked like they were enjoying themselves. Although Ivan was a foot taller it didn’t seem to make any difference - they looked…comfortable together.  It was only then that Tatya realised.  _They’ve met before, does anyone else know?_ She also realised then that that the beat had picked up, the music was becoming more frenetic and they were coming to the climax of the dance – _Oh God!_

“We have to stop it,” Tatya urged, pulling Rene aside.

Rene frowned.  “Why?  I think they’re going to make it to the end and I have money on Delia.”

“ _Rene!_   We can’t do this to Eve.” 

“Tatya, my love, what are you talking about?  Eve’s doing very well, but I think Delia has this.”

But she couldn’t tell him.  Not after what Eve had said.  Tatya had always thought she was quite transparent until she’d met Eve.  Eve said she was cursed – that everyone could tell from her face what she was feeling no matter how hard she tried to hide it.  Tatya saw that Byerly had moved to stand so he could see Eve and Ivan’s faces and Laurent had moved with him.

_She all but told me not to interfere but what if she is serious about Ivan and everyone sees that she is and also sees that he isn’t…_

Because although the Lovers Dance involved no touching or eye contact, there was a point in the dance where the couple – if they’d made it that far - would be standing opposite each other, close but not touching.  When the music reached its frenetic peak the couple would look up into each other’s eyes for a whole minute and then slowly dance backwards to their places – still holding the gaze of their partner.  The story goes that the dance was invented as a way to expose lovers. (And if you don’t think one minute is a long time to look into your lovers face without betraying your true feelings, try it.)

***

“Eve dances better than she thinks,” Laurent said.  “She doesn’t have Miss Delia’s grace but she has something else, don’t you think?”

Byerly watched Eve close the gap with Ivan, still no eye contact, her hair and coat twirling around her as she danced.  There was definitely something very fey about her. And untidy.

Byerly looked at Laurent who was smiling.  The boy never stopped smiling, but they weren’t always pleasant smiles.  “I think you’re her friend,” Byerly said simply and Laurent laughed.

“ _Best_ friend, sir.  Nothing I wouldn’t do for that woman.  But tell me,” he said dropping his voice and moving so close Byerly could feel his warm breath on his cheek, “do you think Commodore Galeni and Miss Delia are the type to accept a third into their arrangement, or do you think it’s too early to tell?”

Byerly almost choked a laugh.  Almost.  He glanced at Delia’s parents not that far away, adjudicating the dance and then glanced back at Laurent about to give him an equally shocking retort when Laurent added:  “If I mention to them that I have a sensa-shower do you think that’ll make a difference?  Would it make a difference to you?” he asked just as the moment came for the couples to look at each other and just as Byerly felt a definite swift squeeze on his backside and a filthy promise in his ear.

***

 _Nearly there_ , _we’re going to win._ Delia could feel it.  Since Duv hadn’t slipped up yet, she knew he wouldn’t.  She’d never enjoyed dancing this dance as much as this before.  It was a different kind of enjoyment, the build-up, the anticipation…  Now she knew why it was called The Lovers Dance.  She couldn’t wait until the end, until tonight when she could have Duv all to herself and – _no, don’t get distracted.  There is a time and place.  Stay in control.  I’m not going to let my brain turn to mush.  I am Delia Koudelka, I am in control and I’m going to win._ She turned, took a half circle step and faced Duv. _Mine, mine, mine._

_***_

Ivan raised his eyes at the same moment as Eve, a few inches from her. As he looked down at her face, he asked in an exaggerated seductive tone: “So… do you come here often?”  Eve burst out laughing.  They both signalled with their hands to Drou that they knew they’d lost.  Ivan had sabotaged the dance. 

“Is that your best line?” Eve asked.

“Line?  Line? How dare you!” Ivan said in an overly clipped accent, “I’m Vor – High Vor! We don’t need lines!  And _what_ is so funny?”

After Eve had stopped laughing she asked.  “The girls sometimes call you by your last name, isn’t that unusual?”

“That’s part of the weekend.  They felt left out when they heard others do it, so me and my coz let them do it just for this weekend.”

“So the rest of the year...?”

Ivan shrugged.  “In private they do sometimes.”

“As a sign of affection?”

He laughed.  “Ah, no, the opposite…It’s usually Martya more than the others.”

“Really?  Martya?  The woman you proposed to?”

“Hmm. Yeah.”

***

“Pay up,” Rene said.  “You lost.”

Byerly handed over one mark to Rene.  “Only to some,” he said noting Tatya’s relieved face, as she gazed at Eve and Ivan.

“What are you talking about?” Rene said, pocketing the symbolic mark.  “Delia and Galeni finished the dance to the end.  Ivan and Eve are…” Rene looked at Eve and Ivan talking and laughing at the other end of the room, still in their dance positions. “Do you think they know the dance has finished?”  Rene asked.  Byerly gave him a look and shook his head.

“You ready?”  Laurent asked buttoning his coat. He glanced at Eve with a grin and turned back to Byerly.  “We should get going now if you still want that lift, and before I have to dig the flyer out of the snow.”

“You’re leaving already?” Drou asked.

Byerly kissed Drou’s hand.  “Thanks for having me, but as Snow Bash tradition dictates, it’s time to leave the evening to the players.”

Laurent gave Drou a warm smile.  “And I have to go because Eve’s volunteered me to get her things. Excuse me, I should let her know I’m leaving.” He walked over to her and Byerly had the pleasure of watching Eve almost give herself whiplash as she looked over wide eyed at Byerly and then drag Stefan out the room.

***

**_R.S.V.P_ **

“You thought I wanted to stop the dance?” Byerly asked Laurent as he parked the lightflyer

Laurent nodded.  “Isn’t the Captain one of your circle?  That’s why I distracted you, although,” he said leaning towards him, “I meant everything I said.” Byerly moved back – a little, and Laurent grinned.

“And you think Vorpatril betrayed himself?” Byerly asked.

Laurent looked surprised.  “You don’t?  It’s obvious he likes Eve, never thought someone like him would have such excellent taste – “

“Not that you’re biased,” Byerly said drily.

“Not at all, and I wouldn’t use the word betrayed - exposed his desire for Eve is more like it.  I’m glad everyone saw it.  That dance is something else.”

Byerly hadn’t needed the dance to tell him anything – he already knew Ivan and Eve were lovers.  When he’d gone into Ivan’s room, it took one look at Eve’s face and Ivan’s well schooled blank one to know he’d made an effort to hide something.  Sometimes it was the absence that gave you away.  His theory was confirmed by Ivan sabotaging his chance of winning the dance - Ivan hadn’t taken any chances.  What Byerly still wasn’t sure of was how serious he was about Eve. He was sure they had met at Marinov’s wedding but he hadn’t heard a whisper about it.   Did Lady Alys know? Should he get it out of the boy?

He gave the Ensign a thoughtful look. Ivan hadn’t exposed feelings at all during that dance, which could only mean:  “ _You_ obviously have prior knowledge about them, Ensign.”

“Perhaps.  Why don’t you call me Stefan?”

“Remove your hand, Ensign,” Byerly said tiredly.

Laurent sighed.  “You’re right, I did promise Eve I wouldn’t – not in her lightflyer, I mean.  But now I’ve dropped off Eve’s things I’m free and look outside!  An apartment building and I just happen to live there.  How convenient!”

Byerly couldn’t help but laugh, but he looked at Laurent closely.  “How old are you?”

“Old enough to show you I’m not all talk and that I do have that shower.”

Byerly smiled.  “Eve wasn’t happy about you giving me a lift, was she?” he asked changing the subject.

He laughed.  “She doesn’t like you, but you know that and I think _you_ want it that way.”

Byerly was surprised at how perceptive he was.  Byerly didn’t dislike Eve, though; she didn’t care what he thought about her and he quite liked that.  “And what about Galeni?  Have you given up on him?” he asked but the boy was unabashed.

“Given up?”  Stefan shook his head.  “You don’t understand.  I don’t pursue people in that way - I don’t play games and I always say what I mean.  Galeni is potently intriguing but he’s not interested – yet.”

“Yet?”

“I don’t believe people’s preferences are set in stone,” he said with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Different circumstances will always have people exploring other options.”

“So Eve’s preferences aren’t set in stone?”

Laurent gave him a long serious look.  “I’m not going to discuss Eve or the Captain, and if you want me to drop you home I will.” He smiled.  “Life is nothing but opportunities and invitations, Byerly Vorrutyer.  I have invited you, it’s your call if you accept or not.”

***

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Last Dance/The Forbidden Dance/The Lovers Dance was inspired by this piece by Loreena Mckennitt  
> [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X19dekhKsaU)
> 
> I don't know why, but it was.


	4. Caveats and Addendums

**_Game #2 Poor, poor Wordsworth_ **

Eve stowed her things away in Delia’s room.  Stefan had dropped them off quite quickly, and she could see he was in a hurry.  Vorrutyer was probably still in the lightflyer.  She told Stefan to be careful, and he told her not to be, after giving her a hard hug and kiss.

She came down the stairs onto the first floor and Ivan was there chatting to the Commodore and Madam Koudelka. The Commodore looked exhausted and they were both about to turn in for the night.  Madam Koudelka warned them that Martya and Delia were having one of their usual sibling spats and that Duv could probably do with a rescue since Olivia was of the opinion that Duv needed to get used to his new family so she had no intention of helping him. 

“We’ll talk tonight?” Ivan whispered to her on the way down.  Eve nodded, she’d been thinking about what she needed to say to him.

Before Eve and Ivan had even reached the living room door they could hear it all clearly:

“I do not have an older child syndrome!” Delia said defensively.  “But as Donna also said, _you_ just have no idea what it’s like to be held up as the example all the time.”

“Yes, I’m sure it grieves you, Delia to be told how perfect you are,” Martya said dryly. “But you’ve failed in your older sibling duties by toeing the line so much; you’re supposed shake things up to make it easier for your younger sibs.”

“Make it easier for you to do what, oh middle child?  You don’t even know what you want to do, Martya.”

Eve decided it was best to walk in at this point and pretend she hadn’t heard anything.  Ivan had no such intention.  “Did you say Donna,” Ivan asked, “as in Lady Donna?”

Delia gave him a furious look.  “You were eavesdropping.”

Eve looked at Duv, seated between Martya and Delia, and noted that he did indeed look relieved to see them.

“Didn’t need to eavesdrop,” Ivan said, “my father could hear you, Delia.”

Ivan indicated a chair for Eve and she realised he was doing that Vor thing where he wouldn’t sit until she did. Vors, so…Vor. He was sat adjacent to her and she felt his long legs straight away brushing against hers.

“Yes, Lady Donna,” Olivia said, answering Ivan, as if the current conversation hadn’t occurred. “We like her company.”

Delia turned to Ivan too and smiled.  “Unfortunately she mentions you every time we see her.”

Ivan grinned, his eyes still fixed on Eve.  “I’m a memorable fellow.”

“So she says,” Delia said in a tone open to interpretation. 

“Ivan, can you get the drinks?”  Olivia asked hurriedly. 

Ivan, after giving Delia a long look, turned to Olivia and smiled.  “Of course.”

Eve made a mental note of Lady Donna’s name and wondered if she would have time, or if it was wise, to ask Ivan about her.

Ivan had gone to his ground car and returned with a lot of beer.  Olivia had already set up WordLink, for this next Snow Bash Weekend tradition, although the beer - Eve assumed - was a later tradition. 

Eve liked playing WordLink, but the Koudelkas had a different way of playing it this weekend. The Snow Bash Teams would have their scores added together to find a team winner, individual scores counted too and also:

“In between your go you take a well-known proverb or literary quote and you have to change it,” Olivia explained.  She flicked through some disks.  “Just need to pick a place and time period…”

“Change it how?”  Duv asked.

“Bastardise it,” Ivan said bluntly.  “Especially if it’s Shakespeare.”

Martya rolled her eyes elegantly.  “Ivan has a bit of a fractious relationship with Shakespeare,” she said, “blames Lord Vorkosigan for it, it apparently stems from the Academy.” She looked at Ivan.  “But he won’t tell us why.”

Ivan opened a bottle of beer, stating: “Isn’t Miles an explanation in itself?” They all seemed to agree with that. 

Eve smiled and said: “You do mention Lord Vorkosigan a lot; I guess you all must really miss him this weekend.” Eve was taken aback at the sudden outburst of snickers, coughs and hmms.

Olivia smiled at her.  “He may not be physically on planet, but he’s definitely here in his own Snow Bash spirit.” 

“What kind of spirit is that?” Eve asked.

“A Poltergeist,” Ivan and Martya said in unison.

Everyone but Eve burst out laughing and exchanged knowing looks, which made Eve wonder what they were laughing about but she didn’t ask.

Ivan handed his beer bottle to Olivia.  Olivia took a swig of the beer and gave it back to Ivan.  “I don’t drink beer,” Olivia explained to Eve, with a grin, “Da doesn’t approve.”  Eve laughed.  Delia drank out of Duv’s bottle and Martya stuck to tea.  Eve wasn’t sure if everyone knew about Martya’s incident and wasn’t about to allude to it.  Eve stuck to tea too and said a side-effect of her Betan therapy was that her body was too quirky for beer.  No one asked her to elaborate.

“So you can say anything to change the quote?” Eve asked getting back to the business at hand.

Olivia nodded.  “But it has to make some kind of sense, even if it’s silly - you get bonus points if you bastardise it with another quote, especially a poem.”

Eve took a breath.  “Alright, I’ll give it a go, but I’m not very adept at remembering quotes,” she said and added, as she looked at them all around the table, “or performing on the spot.  I tend to freeze.”

Delia gave her searching look.  “It’s just a bit of fun, but you’re a singer - isn’t that performing?”

Eve nodded.  “But that’s different.  I know I can sing, oh I know my songs may not be to everyone’s taste but I _know_ I can sing, my aunt told me when I was about seven.”

“Your aunt was a professional musician?” Delia asked.

“No, but it was the only compliment she ever gave me, so I know it must be true.  Told me just because I could sing it didn’t mean I mattered any.”

“That was a compliment?” Olivia asked wide eyed.

Eve smiled. “Oh, yeah. I don’t have to go first, do I?”

While Ivan mulled over what word to create from his mix of letters, Olivia picked a quote for Duv from her reader.  “The most common ones are the hardest because you instinctively want to complete the quote and since you have a Doctorate, Duv, you get a hard one,” she said.  “Let’s pick something from Hamlet, Ivan’s favourite play.”  Ivan gave Olivia a look.

 Eve knew he didn’t like Hamlet and she tried not to smile as she recalled their conversation about it. She was amazed at how much they had crammed into that weekend.  He met her eyes suddenly and she couldn’t help but just stare at him. 

“My Doctorate’s in Modern History and Political Science,” Duv pointed out, breaking into her thoughts, “not literature.”

“Don’t you have diplomas in literature as well?” Delia asked.  Duv grimaced a smile and waved his hand dismissively.

“I’ll read the first part and you have to finish it,” Olivia said. “It can be as long or as short as you want it, but as soon as you’re finished Ivan has to have finished placing his word. The quicker you do it the more points your team get, so don’t think you’re doing Ivan any favours by letting him have longer to choose his word,” she added, her hands poised on the timer.

Ivan was still examining his letters, but he was smiling and flicked a hand at Duv. “I have a word, I’m not worried.”

Olivia cleared her throat.  “To be or not to be-

Everyone groaned but Duv paused and smiled saying smoothly,  “To be or not to be – in such a jocund company, I gazed - and gazed - but little thought, what wealth the show to me had brought.”

Everyone applauded.  Ivan had just about finished placing his word and looked from Duv to Delia, “You prepped him!”

“I did not! – Is that a real quote?”  Delia asked, delighted, “sounds like a poem.  You get extra points for a poem.”

“Delia, you do know Duv’s _not_ on our team?”  Martya asked tiredly. Delia ignored her.

Olivia looked up the poem on her Galactic Literature Encyclopaedia and read the whole poem out.

“How very twee,” Ivan said after Olivia finished reading it.  “There’s five minutes of my life I’m never going to get back.”

“It’s a 19th Century Earth English poem,” Duv stated, “Wordsworth is a classic -”

“Classic?”  Ivan asked, cutting him off, “isn’t that ye olde code for ye olde and ye yawn some?”

“Eve’s next,” Olivia said, laughing and forcing Duv to bite back whatever comment he was about to make. 

Eve placed a hand on Duv’s arm.  “Thanks for setting the bar so low for me, Professor,” she said.

He gave her a smile.  “We’re on the same team, remember? You’ll be fine.” 

“No one expects you to be as good as Duv,” Delia stated, but her eyes were fixed on Eve’s hand still resting on Duv’s arm; Eve quickly removed it.  

Olivia held up her hand.  “Shush!  Ready, Eve?  All’s fair in…”

Eve struggled but it was out of her mouth before she could stop it: “All’s fair in love and -” she looked around for inspiration - looked at the timer - saw Duv placing his word – saw Ivan - “…Vor.” Then she laughed and put her face in her hands. “Oh dear.”

Ivan was laughing, Eve looked up and he gave her a huge grin.    “I think Eve should get extra points for that one.”

“Why?” Delia asked.

Ivan took another swig of beer. “Because it’s true!” he declared.  “All’s fair in love and Vor! Don’t look so embarrassed.” He leaned towards her.  “ _They_ just don’t like the truth.”

“Truth?  Yeah,” Duv said, “I could write a whole thesis on how that belief has permeated the entire foundations of Barrayaran thinking.”

Ivan turned to Duv with a grave look and then batted his long eyelashes at him, “Stop flirting with me.  You’re betrothed, remember?”

Everyone laughed and Duv gave Ivan a look.  “Don’t you take anything seriously?”

The wide eyed innocent look on Ivan’s face made him chuckle and made everyone else laugh more.

But Eve felt the need to explain through the laughter.  “I wasn’t thinking of it like that, Duv – honestly, it just popped out.”

Martya snickered.  “Said the Count to the –“

“Martya!”  Delia scolded.

“Oh, Delia, you’re just like Da sometimes,” Olivia said, giggling and shaking her head.  After an exchange of filthy jokes, laughter and much beer, Ivan eventually got his turn while Eve placed her word; for once she’d got lucky with her letters and had a word ready to tag onto Ivan’s.

Olivia looked at her reader and smiled. “Two roads diverged into a wood, and I…”

Ivan took his beer back from Olivia, narrowed his eyes and nodded, “…and I took both,” Ivan finished.

Delia gave him a look. “Sounds more like one of Miles’s answers.”

“Hah.  Yeah, in more ways than one,” Ivan said dryly, exchanging a knowing look with Duv.   “But it’s mine and it’s not from a ye olde poem.”  Olivia gave Ivan a searching look and he grinned.  “And it’s dedicated to Eve and her alternate universes.”

“You believe in that stuff?” Olivia asked Eve, incredulous.

Eve nodded, “Why not?  I think it makes sense that every decision you haven’t made has been played out.  It appeals to me.  All roads taken. Some mistakes undone…”

“Sounds like you have a lot of regrets,” Martya said.

“Doesn’t everyone?” 

“But having all that Betan compensation must make up for a lot of it,” Martya said and both her sisters gave Martya a sharp look.

But Eve nodded, it wasn’t the first time someone had said this to her.  “You’re right, it helps,” Eve said, “Unfortunately, unless you want to be experimented on by some dubious new tech, what it can’t do is make you smarter.”

Martya let out a soft laugh.  “But from what you’re saying, in one of your alternate universes you could have been experimented on and are a genius!”

Eve grinned.  “Maybe…I know that somewhere out there things have worked out.  But some things never do...not everyone gets what they want.” 

“What things?”  Olivia asked.

Eve turned away, surprised at the intense look Ivan was giving her and turned back to Olivia.  “Isn’t it your go?”  Eve asked, not wanting to get into this with them.

“Yeah,” said Ivan, “let’s get on with the game; see if we can’t dredge up more 19th Century Earthen poems about foliage or animal life.”

“Ode to a Nightingale is a beautiful one,” Eve murmured.

“I’m not a fan of Keats,” Ivan said softly, looking her straight in the eye. His comment seemed to surprise everyone for some reason.  She feebly returned the smile Ivan gave her, but felt a touch bereft suddenly.

_What am I doing here?_

After the Koudelkas had won the tie break game, Delia ordered everyone to bed and to get some sleep before the real game tomorrow.  Martya had stayed in the kitchen with Eve. 

***

**_I Heart Barrayar…Not_ **

Martya couldn’t figure Eve out.  She had all that money, she could go anywhere and after spending most of her life on Earth, she had chosen to study on Barrayar - _Barrayar??_   She bluntly told Eve that this was the reason she thought she was loony, although Eve’s belief in alternate universes came in a close second.

“I’m studying Barrayar, it makes sense to be here,” Eve said and then gave her that small slightly lopsided smile, “but also it’s my choice.  I can leave whenever I want - well, unless something happens that keeps me here.” She gave a small shrug.  “You never know what your universe has in store for you.”

Martya snorted.  “I do for me:  Barrayar at every damn horizon - in every one of your damn alternate universes.” 

Eve moved her mass of hair away from her shoulders and looked at her sympathetically. “Couldn’t you travel or work or study off planet?  Isn’t that what your sister is doing?”

“If I knew what I wanted to do, yes, but I don’t have the money luxury like you do to explore myself.” she sighed. “But the truth is, I was never as academically inclined as the ankle-biter to vie for those scholarships.  I’ve been working but even that never works out right.”

Martya explained how she had worked at the university on a six month contract to manage the administration for a project. “I got things moving, so it was all completed in three months instead of six.” Martya let out a frustrated sigh.  “I should have tried to eke it out for the money, but I couldn’t do it.  They were so damn disorganised, it was frustrating.  But I just can’t find anything else to hold my interest.”

“But there’s lots of opportunities off Barrayar –“

“You think it’s that easy to leave?  Even if I had the money, getting it passed my parents - you’ve met my Da.”

Eve smiled. “I like your Da, he’s sweet. He’s like one of those Da’s you see in the vids.”

Martya had no idea which vids Eve was referring to but had a fair idea of what Eve was getting at.  “Yeah, but did you see him watching that vid of us when we were kids?  _That’s_ how my Da still sees us.  Mama can’t wait for us all to leave and get married,” she said with a twist in her smile, “but it just makes Da sad.”

“Oh, so you want to get married?”

She let out a laugh. “Yes, of course, but not to anyone I’ve met so far,” she said. “Damn mama’s boys most of these men, think they’re God’s gift and that you don’t have a damn voice of your own and God, everyone’s a damn officer or an ex-officer and they’re the most mind-numbingly…” she continued on in this vein a lot longer than she intended.  She felt wired and tired and angry and in need to scream at someone.

“I don’t usually go on like this,” Martya said, rubbing her temples, “but lately…I don’t know…”

“I think I get it,” Eve said. “You don’t want Barrayar- on _any_ terms.  That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it?  Barrayar’s pissing you off?”

“Barrayar has always pissed me off, just a lot more lately…”

“I’m like that with Beta,” Eve said with a nod. “I know I should be more objective about what happened to me but I can’t.  I even made a point of dating a Betan to stop myself from becoming so prejudiced, but that backfired.  I saw him a lot longer than I should have.  On paper he seemed an ideal partner.  I really wish I’d hit him, before I kicked him out,” she added wistfully.

“I’m not prejudiced about Barrayar,” Martya said, wondering just how many boyfriends Eve had had. “It’s a backwater changing at a snail’s pace.  That’s a fact, Eve.”

“At least it’s changing,” Eve pointed out.  “And it can’t be all that bad if it’s produced a family like yours.  Martya, what’s going to happen if all the people like you, who can see what needs to change, take all that passion and talent off planet?  You all complain how Barrayar needs to change but no one cares about the brain drain that’s going on.”

“That’s because there’s nothing to keep them here!  And do you think I have any power here?” she asked incredulous.  “The power here is in politics and in service where women aren’t–“

“No,” Eve said shaking her head, “what about education, science, medicine, law –“

“What about having the money to explore those options?”

“That’s a universal problem,” Eve said, “not just Barrayar’s.  Are you interested in any of those fields?”

Martya sighed.  “I don’t know…”

“Well it’s obvious before you do anything, you need a break or an outlet of some sort.  Apart from my studies I do two hours of exercises every day and I have a punch bag, which helps a lot…though by the look on your face I’m guessing it’s not what you’re into.”

“You sound like my mother,” Martya snorted.  “She thinks exercise is the cure for everything.”

“Not a cure,” Eve said, “just a temporary outlet to get your equilibrium back.  Like sex pleasuring,” she added brightly.

Martya started at that and Eve bit her lip. “So there really isn’t anyone you could go and stay with, away from here?”

Martya was glad Eve wasn’t going to pursue the sex angle.  “Off planet…” Martya pondered. “No and with Delia leaving soon and Kareen not being here, I’d need a good reason and anyway, there’s no money – so no point dwelling on it.”  She thought of Sergyar but knew she didn’t want that either, as much as she loved Aunt Cordelia, she would still be surrounded by nothing but Barrayarans and she didn’t want a vacation, she just didn’t know what she wanted. 

“Ivan seems nice,” Eve said suddenly, “and he obviously cares about you all, couldn’t he help in some way?”

Martya was struck by the rapturous look on Eve’s face when she said Ivan’s name. 

“I seriously doubt it!  You do know Ivan asked me to marry him?” she asked bluntly, hoping it would make her think twice about Ivan.  She genuinely didn’t want her to get burned by Ivan.

Eve nodded, seemingly unfazed by her statement.  “Yeah, my friends tell me all the gossip even though I don’t want to hear it.  It was in one of their bulletins.”

Martya gave her a sharp look.  “Bulletins?”

“That’s what I call their long missives from Earth.”

“They’ve heard about this on Earth!?” she asked incredulous.

Eve nodded.  “The Expat Barrayarans on Earth are notorious gossips,” Eve said.  “I sometimes think that’s why there are so many events at the Embassy – so they can all get together and bitch in unison.” She shook her head.   “I’m sorry… I thought that you’d made it common knowledge about you and Ivan or I wouldn’t have –“

“I did _not_ make it common knowledge!” And then she waved a hand, feeling a touch guilty.  “I was perhaps a touch too loud in my reasons for refusal and was overheard.  I didn’t mean it to get out the way it did…What did you hear?”

Eve cleared her throat.  “Erm…That you told him you’d rather marry pond scum and that you kicked him in the testicles.”

“I did no such thing!” Martya roared.  “And if I was going to hit him, I’d hit in the jaw.  I don’t need to cheat.”

“Pond scum?”

“He pissed me off.”

“Not your type?”

“No, but it’s his type I’ll probably end up with,” she said feeling strangled again, “when that’s all that’s available.  I guess everyone has to compromise.  Trust me, marrying a Barrayaran is going to be nothing but compromises.” 

Eve burst out laughing.  “Sorry.  I’m not laughing at you I – it’s just, I know I don’t know you very well but I can’t see anyone, least of all yourself, forcing you to compromise for a future you don’t want.  As old fashioned as your parents are, Martya, they really doesn’t seem the type to want that.”

“It’s not my parents – and they’re not _that_ old fashioned,” she said defensively, “well, mama isn’t.  But I’m a practical person, Eve.  I’m a Barrayaran woman after all.” 

“Yeah, who’s talking like she’s running out of time!  I don’t know what it is with you Barrayarans, but it only takes one of your peers or siblings to get married and you all act like you’re desperate or on a deadline to partner up.  It’s baffling.”

“That’s not true!”

But there was Kareen on her scholarship, probably paired up with Mark, Delia getting married to the ambitious Galeni and here she was refusing offers from eligible Vor officers and developing an allergy to all Barrayaran men, particular the Vor and officer variety.   

“That’s not true…” she repeated again, but less firmly.

Eve bit on her lip.  “Perhaps not but I’ve seen the sanest women and men make rash decisions with that kind of thinking. Decisions they later regretted.”

Martya suddenly thought about Ivan and how close she was to ruining both their lives – _oh God, she’s right._

“I don’t know if it will help you,” Eve continued, “but I think you should take the pressure of yourself by simply taking things day by day.  Give yourself time to decide on what you want.  It works for me – sometimes, although I appreciate your life is very different.”

Martya suddenly felt a flush of embarrassment.  “I know your life is more –“

“Please don’t do that.  There is no like for like comparison here,” Eve said with a wry smile. “We all have our own unique set of problems, I don’t believe you can judge which is worse.  I have more freedom and money than you do, Martya, and I wish I could give it to you in a way that wouldn’t hurt your family…or your pride – give you some space away from here.  But there isn’t is there?”

Martya smiled.  “No - but thanks. Besides, I’m too old to run away from home.” She wasn’t sure it would help anyway.

“Well day by day then, Martya,” Eve repeated.  "Who says you have to figure it all out today?  My trainer used to say you should make an effort to control the things you can, trust your instincts and go from there and before you know it, you have more options than you think.”  Martya wasn’t sure about this but Eve was looking at her earnestly.  “Day by day – clichés are true for a reason. You’ll get your clarity back before you know it.”

Martya thought about it, a seemingly simplistic solution – a temporary one, which may settle this stupid feeling that kept trying to smother her and ruin her life.  And Ivan’s.  She felt something ease off, but wondered if it was temporary.

“Can I ask you, though, about Ivan – is he really that bad?” Eve asked.  “The way he helped you out today, he seems like a good man.”

Martya waved a hand.  “I didn’t mean to make him sound – he’s - he is, yes, a very good person to have onside,” she admitted.  She suddenly recalled some of the scrapes Ivan and Miles had helped her and her sibs out of _\- and_ the scrapes they’d help Ivan and Miles with and she smiled.  “But he’s just…he’s Ivan.”  She couldn’t explain what it was about Ivan that exasperated her so much, so she just shrugged and added: “Like you said, not my type.  You like him, don’t you?”

Eve did that beaming thing again.  “Yeah, of course.  It’s not only that delectable wrapper, he has all that strength and there are no sharp edges to him, you know?  No…violence in his words or the way he is.  It’s nice, warm…comfy.”

Martya was surprised at how candid Eve was about Ivan and how sure she was about someone she’d only just met.  Eve was even more candid about men than Lady Donna, which was saying something. “Comfy?  You make him sound quite boring,” Martya said.

Eve’s face suddenly changed; the colour going out of her eyes, startling Martya as Eve quietly and earnestly said: “It’s not boring at all. Not when you’ve…it’s rarer than you think.”

Martya didn’t know how to respond; instead she thought she better be as candid as Eve and set Eve straight.  “Look, about Ivan, I think you should realise –“

“Everyone’s already got there before you,” Eve said with an amused look.  “Yes, I know who he is, and his High Vor standing and the rest; doesn’t mean I can’t like him.”

“No, no, of course not.  I just don’t want you to get- ah-”

“Ideas above my class and below his?”

Martya winced, but felt a flash of guilt.  “I was going to say hurt.”

Eve smiled.  “Thanks for your concern but don’t worry.  I’ve never been under any illusions about who Ivan Vorpatril is.”

Martya wasn’t sure how to take that as Eve had an odd look in her eyes, so she just nodded, and said they should go to bed. 

***

**_Ivan’s Family_ **

Eve said she would follow her up and had just poured herself a glass of water when Ivan walked into the kitchen, startling her.

Eve frowned, a sudden thought occurring to her.  “I didn’t hear you come down those creaky stairs.”

Ivan grinned.  “I’m very light footed.  Won awards for it.  Also won awards for being warm and comfy.”

“You were listening!” 

“Did you mean what you said about me?” he asked.

She nodded, surprised at how happy he looked.  _He must get better compliments than that all the time - maybe he never tires of them?  Maybe that’s why he’s not so arrogant._ “Why would I lie?  Is there anything you could do for Martya?”

Ivan looked a little taken aback and disappointed by this question, so she elaborated. “Isn’t there some way you could help her.”

“I don’t want to talk about Martya.”

 “Could you at least think about it?  She needs a break away from here, preferably from Barrayar, or something majorly distracting.”

Ivan was shaking his head.  “There isn’t anything that I can do and she wouldn’t like me interfering.”

“I’m sure you’re smart enough to do it so she wouldn’t know.”

“Hey!  I’ve not said I’ll do anything – and there isn’t anything.  What do you want me to do, get her a job at HQ?”

She smiled.  “Just please think about it.  That’s all I ask.””

He moved closer and sighed.  “Fine.  I’ll think about it, but I’m not promising anything.  Can we talk about us now?”

Eve sat down at the table bench and folded her arms on the table.   “Ivan, I want you to be honest,” she said firmly.  “To think about what you want.” Ivan didn’t look happy and Eve gave him a sympathetic look.  “To make it easier for you, I’ll tell you what I want and if you don’t like it we know where we stand.  We may be too different.”

Ivan sat opposite her and frowned.  “Oh, I see.  This is because of Duv, isn’t it?” he asked sounding a touch hostile.

Eve was thrown. “Huh?”

“Duv.  Doctorate Duv.  You’re having second thoughts because of him.  Because he likes all that ancient crap and likes studying it like you do.  You have all that in common.”

Eve was trying very hard not to laugh.  “In common?” she echoed.  “What, you mean like I have no educational qualifications to my name - only equivalent Galactic Academic Credits?  _You_ have more in common with Duv than I do, you’re both Academy graduates!  I haven’t graduated from anything!”    

“Well, no, but you will,” he said.  “And you know I didn’t mean it like that.”

“How did you mean it?” she asked incredulous.  “You think my affection has switched to him because I’m studying history and we like some of the same poets?  That I’m going to try and take him away from Delia because of that?  Do I seem like that type of person?”

“No! But…” Ivan started to look sorry, but Eve wasn’t finished. “Tatya told me she has an interest in antique ground cars because she grew up with brothers and a father who are fanatics about it.”

“I didn’t know that,” Ivan said. “But what-“

“She doesn’t talk about it a lot.  Doesn’t want people to think she’s odd, so you better not tease her. But you like that stuff, right?  I remember you saying something about it.  I have no interest in ground cars - antique or otherwise.” Eve leaned forward.  “So, do you now like Tatya more than you like me?”

Ivan looked at the table and drew circles on it with his fingers and muttered something.  He sounded so sulky Eve couldn’t help but laugh.

He looked up and gave her a sheepish look.  “You have an interesting way of making your point.”

She sighed.  “Did you know that one of the things, one of the many, many things I like about you, is that you’re honest and that you don’t pretend to like the things I like?”

“Yeah?  Even though I don’t like Keats?”

“How do you know Keats’ work, anyway?” she asked baffled.

He laughed.  “A girl I – eh - knew when I was at the Embassy on Earth.  She dragged me to one of his shrines; place where he died.  They read his poetry out over four long, long hours.” She laughed at the look on his face.  He reached over and took her hands.  “I’m sorry, but when you said we may be too different –“

“I wasn’t talking about that.  I was talking about your wife.”

“My – what?  My _wife?_ ” he asked letting go of her hands. “What?”

“Hear me out.  Please.”

“I’m sure I would have remembered getting married…”

“Let me start this from the beginning,” she said.  “I do have a terrible habit of starting at the end and working back.  It drives Stefan nuts.  All right…I know if I agree to have dinner with you, I’ll want to see you again.”

“Me too.”

She nodded.  “But I have my own terms and conditions before I say yes to this dinner, which you may find quite old fashioned. And odd.” She held up a hand and Ivan closed his mouth.  “Let me say it all at once.” _Before I lose the courage, before I let my feelings get the better of me_. 

She took a breath. “Simply put, I don’t want to share you with any other lovers.  I want you to myself.   I’ve never been attracted to being part of a trio or a quartet relationship, either in public or private.” She cleared her throat and drank some water.  “I don’t want to share you.  I’m not sure of the multi partner definitions here, but I’m sure you know what I mean. And I don’t want to be with you while you’re looking for your wife.  So if we do date and things aren’t going well and you want someone else or you want to look for your wife, you have to tell me.  Don’t lie to me. And I – I will do the same, if I think it’s not going to work, I mean.   We just we have to be honest.  That’s all I ask. But, I don’t want your answer now.  I want you to really think about what I’m asking and after the game tomorrow tell me honestly whether you still want to have dinner with me.”  She grasped his hands and squeezed them.  “This is what I want, Ivan, but you should be doing what you want too - as much as you possibly can.  I’m not a child, so if you change your mind about the dinner, and think I’m demanding too much for a first dinner date, I’ll understand.” _And I’ll have to leave Barrayar, but I’m not telling you that_.

And if he said yes she would have to tell him the truth about her retreats… _One thing at a time, Sorrentti._

Ivan looked surprised at what she’d said and then his expression was unreadable. There was a brief silence broken by Ivan’s, “Can I talk now?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve covered a lot of angles there.”

 _I bet he thinks I’m a lunatic._   “Yeah…I’m trying not to repeat some of my past mistakes _.”  I bet I’ve scared him. Maybe he’ll bolt? Maybe this is too much for him._

But he hadn’t moved.  He was still sat at the table looking at her.  “Leaving that aside for now, what makes you think I’d be looking for a wife while I was with you?”

Eve was surprised at what he’d asked.  “But you told me yourself you recently proposed to the sisters and the Emperor’s wedding is coming up, so you’ll have all that elite galactic honey to enjoy.  There’ll be a lot of betrothals at the end of it all, I’ll bet.  I know what you’re thinking –“

“Oh, I doubt that.”

“Maybe your future wife wouldn’t mind sharing, but I would.  Maybe in an another universe I wouldn’t mind – I doubt it though, but right now it’s not a point I can compromise on.”

“Who is she?” he asked.

“Who?”

He smiled.  “My wife.  You’ve thought about this a lot more than I have by the sound of it, you must have a fair idea of what she’s like.”

Eve frowned.  “I don’t know…someone who looks the part, I guess.”

“Looks the part?” Ivan repeated, eyebrow raised.

“Yeah, if not your Vor class, then close to it.   You proposed to the Koudelkas, so like them, I s’pose.  Although I’m surprised you did ask them.  I mean they’re magnificent, but after seeing you all together - you all know each other too well and it’s…passionless. Unless that’s what you want in your wife relationship?  But those girls want passion, well – Delia does.” She smiled.  “You know, in an alternate universe they must have said yes, so out there somewhere you must be married to Martya _and_ Delia, although maybe not at the same time - they don’t do that on Barrayar do they?  Let you have two legal partners, I mean?”

“Not legally, no,” he said looking amused.

There was a small silence.  Eve stood up, she could see he was already thinking about it and she knew it was time to leave him to it, especially as she was starting to ramble and speed talk.  “We should go to bed,” Eve said firmly.  “Please don’t give me your answer until you’ve really thought about it, so before I leave - after the game - you can tell me but not before.” 

Ivan shook his head.  “No, no one’s going anywhere after the game - that’s when the Commodore cooks his traditional Barrayaran brunch.  You can’t leave until he’s tried to clog all your arteries.  Agreed?”

She smiled and moved around to his side.  “After the brunch then…so…aren’t we going up?”

He looked at her sharply, eyes bright.  “You mean together, you still want to…?”

She nodded. “Of course!”

“Even without my answer? Which I have by the way and-”

“No, Ivan, please.  Not until after the game.  There’s no way you could have thought about it much, I’ve only just asked you!  If you’re so sure you’re not going to change your answer just humour me for now and don’t tell me!”

Ivan laughed.  “Fine.”

 _And how sensible is this, Sorrentti?_ Eve told the voice in her head to shut up _.  “_ I want to make the most of you this weekend, Ivan, but I’m still finding it hard to hide how I feel.   You do it so easily.”

“It isn’t always easy,” he said standing up and they kissed.  He pulled away, his hands cupping her face, his fingers sliding into her hair.  She moved to kiss him again, but he stopped her and said: “Too many people think my private life is public property, Evie, so I like to keep some things to myself as long as I can.”

She was going to tell him she hadn’t thought of that, but her legs were now wrapped around his waist and they made their way as discreetly as they could upstairs.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Parts of this were inspired by one of my favourite, most wonderful Lanna Michaels AU fics:  
> [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/331473%0A)
> 
>  
> 
> And 
> 
> by an idiot I knew at uni who thought it was funny to repeatedly quote:  
> To be or not to be  
> Beside the lake beneath the trees  
> Fluttering and dancing in the breeze
> 
> To this damn day I can't get that blasted quote out of my head.
> 
>  
> 
> The chapter title - yes nicked from Firefly.


	5. What's A Fellow To Do?

 

**_It happened one night_ **

_Not once_. 

Delia paced. 

Not once had Duv tried to come into her room.  Not once had he sought her company.  _Doesn’t he realise how rare privacy is in this House?  What is wrong with him?  Does he expect me to take the lead in everything?!_  

It was two in the morning and she’d woken from a restless sleep.  She thought she heard Duv’s door, but she wasn’t sure.  She looked across at the spare bed in her room that didn’t have Eve in it and hadn’t been slept in.  No two guesses for where she was.  Well, more fool her!  Delia hoped she didn’t expect anything serious from Ivan, you couldn’t tell with galactics and – _God damn it, Duv!  You didn’t even try to get me alone._

Before Delia knew what she was doing she was outside Duv’s door staring at it.  She pressed her ear to it but couldn’t hear anything.  Her mother had had all the rooms soundproofed because of the endless fights they had when they were younger. They all had locks but because her parents wouldn’t splurge for anything too fancy, if you twisted the handle the right way it was easy to unlock.   He could be awake like me. She reflexively looked down the stairs leading to the floor where her parents and siblings slept.  Then she thought of Duv and felt a burn of strong feelings.  _I am Delia Koudelka and I am in control._ _I am Delia Koudelka and I am in control._   She lightly knocked on the door, grasped the handle and opened it saying Duv’s name - and then jolted at what she saw.

Eve!

In the middle of the bed.

Naked.

Wrapped around Duv and saying Ivan’s name – 

“Ivan,” Delia squeaked as she recognised the head making noises on Eve’s shoulder.

“Delia?” he rasped looking right at her.

Delia wasn’t sure if she slammed the door or not but she was sure everyone could hear the blood pounding in her ears and she didn’t care. _Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!_ She went to the other room and didn’t even knock.  She opened the door and Duv sat up with a stunner in his hand before he saw who it was.

“Delia!” he said relieved, putting the stunner aside. “Is everything –“

“You hypocrite!  You God damn hypocrite! – I – you let Ivan and that – _that girl_ have Kareen’s room! Kareen’s bed!  After all that crap about respecting my Da’s wishes under his roof!  But you made it easy for them, didn’t you?  Oh that’s different isn’t it!  Why?  Because it’s Ivan, right?”

Duv staggered out of his bed and closed the door whispering: “Do you want your parents to hear?”

Delia stared at him incredulous.  “If you really cared about that why did you let Ivan have your room in the first place?  And it isn’t even your room!  It’s Kareen’s room!  I bet you didn’t ask Kareen did you?”

Duv rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but you were already in bed when Ivan asked to swap.  I didn’t think you’d go to my room – Kareen’s room.”

The temperature dropped. “You didn’t what?”

Duv may have realised then that he’d said completely the wrong thing but it was too late as far as Delia was concerned.

“Delia, please, what I’m trying to say -”

“Don’t say another word Duv Galeni,” Delia snapped coldly. “I’m _so sorry_ to have inconvenienced you. Goodnight.”

“Delia!”

***

“You said Delia.”

 _I’m going to have a heart attack_.  Ivan tried to calm his pounding heart down but it wasn’t easy with Evie’s accusing stare.  “You said Delia,” she repeated.

“I swear to you, Evie, she was standing right there!” he said pointing at the door.  “Didn’t you hear or see her at all?”

Evie was still sitting on the bed, half tangled in the bedding, and she looked at the closed door and back to Ivan standing near the door.  He kept staring at the door half expecting Delia to walk back in.  He had rushed to get dressed but Eve’s bewildered, hurt look had frozen him.

“I was far away,” Evie said defensively and then more softly she said:  “You sent me far away.”

Ivan moved closer to her, feeling the atmosphere lighten.  “Did you get all the way or…“

She smiled and he felt a flood of relief.  _She must believe me.  She wouldn’t smile like that if she didn’t believe me._

“I got there. I just wanted to savour it.  I like losing time with you, it’s most pleasurable.  But why would Delia come here, Ivan?  Tell me the truth.  Did you invite her to join us before I told you my terms and -”

“No!  Evie, what kind of question is that?”

She looked relieved.  “I believe you, but I had to ask Ivan.  I’m sorry, I…I had to ask.  So she came in here to talk to you?”

“No, I don’t think she knew we were in here.”

 The accusing stare was back.  “You didn’t _tell_ her?”

“She was in bed when I asked Duv to swap, and I don’t think Duv told her either!”  _It’s not my fault!_

“So…Duv arranged it so we could have this nice big bed of his but he didn’t arrange anything with Delia?  Unless he fell asleep maybe and Delia went to find him.”

Ivan laughed.  “Evie, Duv isn’t going to risk it – not with his future father-in-law downstairs!”

“But Duv had no problem with me and you being together.”

“Course not, cos that’s our risk not his.” 

“Hmm.  I don’t think Delia is going to see it that way, Ivan – “ her eyes widened suddenly. “Oh, God, I hope she didn’t think you were Duv!”

“What? No, why would she?”

“Considering our _position_ at the time and who she was expecting to see...”

Ivan ran a hand over his face.  “Oh, shit.”

“I wonder if she saw my scars,” she said suddenly.

“You can hardly see them,” he said too quickly but it was the truth.  Evie’s back was full of scars from her childhood, but apart from a couple they were only visible when they caught the light.  She hadn’t wanted him to touch them at first until he told her he was on a mission to kiss every one of them better and then…the way she’d looked at him.  He smiled as he remembered and moved closer to the bed.

Evie closed her eyes and opened them.  “Doesn’t matter.  Nothing I can do about that now.  Do you think I should talk to her?”

“No!  Definitely not.  She’ll be mad. We should let her calm down.” _Maybe give it a thousand years._

“All right, but she’s probably with Duv right now…I hope.  I’ll speak to her tomorrow, well, later, since it is tomorrow.”

“I didn’t know she’d come in here,” Ivan muttered.

“To her _betrothed’s_ room?  Really?”

Ivan shook his head.  “No, Delia isn’t like that.”

“Like what?”  Eve asked.

“Like…you know.  Evie, girls like Delia they…wait. Until their honeymoon.”

Evie burst out laughing. ”Ivan, wanting privacy with your partner doesn’t necessarily mean sex and those two have hardly had any time together today! As for _girls like Delia,_ Ivan, I’ve met them, and although they may save some things for their wedding night, many of them do just about everything else and – what’s wrong?”

Ivan was squeezing sudden, unbidden images out of his head.  “I don’t want to talk about this.  I want to know why you said you had to ask me if I invited Delia.”

Evie gave him a searching look.  “You’re uncomfortable with thinking of Delia with another man, aren’t you?  Are you still in love with her?”

“I was never in love with her!”

“But you proposed to her.  You must have some love for her.  You can tell me the truth.”

Laurent’s words about being honest with Evie were ringing in his ears.  And then he thought about their surreal conversation in the kitchen.  He swallowed.  “Yes,” he admitted and because she didn’t throw anything at him he continued, “But it’s different, very different to how I feel about you.”

She smiled but still looked puzzled and then her eyes lit up.  “Of course!  I forgot you’ve watched her grow up.  Gosh, you Barrayaran men are so intriguing and contradictory.  So…is it hard for you to think of Delia with her legs wrapped around another man’s neck?”

“Evie!”

Evie giggled.  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t tease, but my God, Ivan, I’m so glad you didn’t marry her.  The pedestal you put those Koudelka girls on, no girl wants that and you’d let them walk all over you!”

“I would not, and you didn’t answer my question, why did you think I invited her?” Ivan genuinely wanted to know and he also wanted to change the subject.

“Two reasons.  First – because you proposed to her.  I thought, well – I don’t think that now.”

_Why did I tell her about those proposals?  What is it about her that makes me want to tell her everything?_

“Second reason?”

Evie took a breath.  “All right, but don’t dwell on this.  It happened a long time ago and I dealt with it.”  She was quiet for a while, nodded to herself and then took another breath.  “Short, blunt version. One of my exes invited people into our bed without asking me.  My pride was hurt more than anything.  He never took my martial arts training seriously; he really thought I was just going to go along with it on his say so!  And he had these tools that they – anyway, two of them tried to force the issue and I knocked them out in three moves.” She shook her head and let out a laugh.  “Nothing like climbing out of a window, in next to nothing, to make you wake up to your stupidity.  And I was - very stupid.  I try not to be now.”

Ivan was horrified at what he could hear between all those words.  “Evie, I would never –“

“I know.  I wish I knew why I trusted you so quickly.  It’s not something I’m used to.” She smiled. “But I have to say when Marinov’s sister told me of all the help you gave to her brothers at the wedding, I was intrigued by you.”

“Hmm.  I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said flippantly, secretly pleased. “So it wasn’t just my shoulders?”  Ivan had no idea why it was particularly his arms and shoulders she liked so much, but he had no complaints.  It was hard for him to tell her why he couldn’t get enough of her neck, her collarbone, her mermaid hair...

She laughed.  “Shoulders too.  All of you in fact, but even before then Stefan told me about you – he said that you and a few other officers give the new Ensigns an unofficial HQ and Vorbarr Sultana orientation, which he said is far more useful than the official one.”

“Your Stefan has a big mouth.”

“Well, he won’t give me the detail.”

“Good and it’s not that big a deal, Evie.” He began to untangle her from the sheets.  “The fewer mistakes those Ensigns make the better my department looks.”

She gave a slight shake of her head.  “You may think these are small things, but they’re not to me, Ivan.  It’s these things that count more than anything.  Whatever happens, I’m never going to forget them or your kindness to me.  You make me feel…safe.”

Ivan kissed her, feeling about hundred feet tall.  “You’re so...” And he was kissing her and not just because he couldn’t think of the right words.

“Oh good.  I take it we’re not going to sleep.”

“Not yet.”

She giggled again.  “It’s lucky you’re on laundry duty.” 

***

**_The morning after_ **

Delia dumped her sheets in the hall.  _I’m so glad Ivan has laundry duty.  Kareen will do an acid deep clean when she finds out what went on in her bedroom_.  As she closed her door she saw Eve coming up the stairs with a tray of steaming mugs.  She was dressed in the same style of clothes as yesterday, but this time it was dark blue leggings, slipper socks and a blue long sleeved t-shirt – her own and not Ivan’s, although it still looked too large for her.  Her brown hair was still a mess, falling past her hips in the same mass of untidy waves.  Delia had to restrain herself from grabbing it and pulling it back into a neat braid.  It was irritating. 

“Oh, you’re up!” Eve smiled. “I hope you don’t mind me co-opting this tradition, but your parents are busy so I’m doing the morning drinks.  Your sisters have theirs and here is yours.”

_Oh God, she’s a morning person.  I’m surprised Martya didn’t throttle her._

Eve handed Delia the mug and dropped her voice.  “I’m so sorry about the misunderstanding last night. I-”

“It’s fine.  Olivia and Martya are up?”  The last thing Delia wanted to do was to discuss it.  She was still trying to erase the memory of those entwined naked bodies from her brain.  She noticed that the doors to the other rooms were open.

“Olivia is, but Martya’s still in bed,” Eve said.  “Duv!  Good morning.”

Duv came out of Kareen’s room, he was dressed too and he said good morning to them both.  Delia gave him a formal nod as Eve handed him a coffee and he smiled at her. 

“Morning, Duv,” Delia said.  She took a breath.   “We should all go down to breakfast.  Mother’s quite strict with her schedule; she won’t want anyone eating too close to the game.”

Delia turned to go down to complete a graceful exit, but Ivan came bounding up the stairs and he gave Duv a wary half salute, as Duv narrowed his eyes at him. “Morning everyone,” Ivan said.  There was a very awkward silence.  Ivan cleared his throat.  “I’ve just come to pick up any laundry I’ve missed.”

Delia pointed to her pile and Ivan grabbed it.

“I’ll help you,” Eve said and followed Ivan rapidly down leaving Delia alone with Duv.

Duv stepped closer and Delia stepped back.  “Delia, how many times can I say I’m sorry?”

“You can stop,” Delia said. “I’ve thought about it and I’ll respect your wishes and do this your way.”

“I have a way?” Duv asked warily.

Delia smiled.  “Oh yes. In fact, we should go down now before anyone finds out we’re alone together.”

Duv, awakening to what Delia was getting at, looked at her pleadingly.  “Oh come on, you know I didn’t mean -”

“Ah no, Duv that’s close enough.  I may let you kiss my hand later, I’ve not yet decided.  I’ll ask my Da what he thinks.” And she walked swiftly down the stairs just as there were loud footsteps and Olivia came halfway up the stairs, greeting her with a huge grin on her face.

“Oh you’re coming! Great!  The boys are here, Delia! And there’s so many of them!”

***

**_I lost my heart to…_ **

Eve was watching out of the window in amazement.  On the road, in front of the house, musicians were assembling on a small stage, which was set up under a canopy, with what looked like heat lamps.  It was on a platform attached to a truck and it looked like the street was being closed at both ends. “They do this every year, sir?”

Commodore Koudelka gave the mass of young men gathering out in the street a disgusted look softened by the amused glint in his eye.  “Most years, yes.”

“Ever since Delia turned seventeen,” Madam Koudelka said. 

“But not last year,” the Commodore pointed out.  “Last year we had peace.”

“They’re harmless boys, Kou,” Madam Koudelka said with a smile.

The Commodore snorted.  “Harmless.  It’s times like this I wish I had a pack of wild dogs to set on them.”

Olivia grinned and hugged him.  “You always say that and we know you don’t mean it, Da, they’re just honouring us – it’s sweet.”

“Singing vulgar songs to my daughters is sweet?”

“They’re not vulgar!”  Olivia said laughing.

Delia, who had been in the kitchen, walked into the room with a preoccupied look, but when she looked out the window her eyes widened and she smiled.  “I’ve never seen so many.” 

“No, not dogs, hoses,” the Commodore said, narrowing his eyes and making a shooting motion with his stick, “with ice water… and manure.”

Olivia, still laughing, showed the bleary-eyed Martya the card that one of the men had posted through the door.  “Invitation to their performance, in our honour and it’s addressed to all of us, even Kareen.  Looks like they still like you, Martya.”

During the WordLink game Martya had jokingly commented on how the officers were ignoring her now.  It was a comment pointedly levelled at Ivan and he had said he didn’t know what she was talking about.  It looked like Martya was wrong.

Martya took the card from Olivia and munched on her toast. “My life is complete,” she said sarcastically, but then she smiled and it wasn’t a smile Eve had seen. 

Olivia raised her eyebrow.  “Good sleep, sis?”

“Yeah, better than I’ve had in a while.”  She came close to Eve and looked out at the officers assembling.  “I bet you think I’m a hypocrite, but I am fond of those idiots,” she said in a low voice.

Eve smiled but Olivia moved closer.  “Well, _I_ didn’t have a good sleep,” she said, “thanks for asking,” she glanced at her Da at the other side of the room and then back to Eve and Martya, lowering her voice.  “Judging by my lamps, there was a lot of activity going on in Kareen’s room.”

“Erm…lamps?” Eve asked.

Olivia smiled.  “Yeah, Ivan and Miles decorated my ceiling with paper lanterns for my birthday when I was child, but I’ve always kept them.  They used to sway like crazy when Kareen was studying, she used to pace all the time and talk to herself.  But last night, my God, I thought there was an earthquake at times.”

Martya and Olivia were both looking at Eve significantly.

“I’m sorry you were…distracted from your sleep,” Eve said with a smile she just couldn’t keep from her face.  She knew full well Delia must have told them everything, but Eve refused to elaborate.  Olivia and Martya didn’t say anything else, but Olivia looked like she was dying to say _something_.

Eve grinned and looked outside.   “So are they all officers?”

None of the men were in uniform and they were all bundled up against the cold in similar muted colours.  But not enough of them were wearing hats as far as Eve was concerned.  It was freezing.  What was it with Barrayarans not wearing hats in the cold, Eve pondered - was it to prove some kind of point?

“Your mother wants you,” Ivan said coming up to the girls.  And as if on cue, Madam Koudelka called her girls into the kitchen. 

“Who says they’re officers?” Ivan asked coming up close behind her.

Eve resisted the temptation to lean back into him.  “They’ve all got that generic service haircut,” she said without turning around. “Like yours,” she added.

“There is nothing generic about my hair,” he said, in mock hurt, “take that back!”

She glanced across at the Commodore and his wife and let her hand stray behind to squeeze Ivan’s thigh without being seen. “Do you know all of them?” she asked Ivan, as he returned the squeeze.

“Never seen ‘em before in my life,” Ivan said. Some of the men outside were looking at the window where Eve and Ivan were standing - and saluted in unison.  She could see them turn around and say Ivan’s name.

Ivan stepped away from the window, after stroking Eve’s back.  “Look at that, they’re saluting Eve and she’s not even in uniform.”

They suddenly amplified the sound and the Commodore exchanged looks with Ivan who shook his head.  “You know it’s nothing to do with me, sir.  They can get in and out of this trouble on their own. I’m not their babysitter.”

“Oh, I know this!” Eve said as the song started.  It was akin to an up-tempo country dance.  The boys had substituted a specific word to make it fit and Eve grabbed the Commodore’s hands and danced with him.  He didn’t move much but he laughed as Eve twirled under his arms.

The chorus all the men outside sang together:

_And I ask you, friend, what's a fella to do  
'Cos her hair was blonde and her eyes were blue  
So I took her hand and I gave her a twirl  
And I lost my heart to a Koudelka girl*_

Eve grinned. “So this song is all about Madam Koudelka?” she asked the Commodore.

He nodded.  “They’ve all been after her for years,” the Commodore sighed, looking at his laughing wife, “but they’re not going to get her.”

***

**_A few more guests…_ **

Ivan watched as Eve danced with the Commodore and then with Drou and he grinned.

“Da likes her,” Olivia said.

Ivan turned to Olivia.  “Of course he does, why wouldn’t he?” he asked looking her in the eye.

Olivia looked startled. “Eh – no reason.  Ivan – about the boys –“

“No.”

“But Ivan they’ve gone to so much effort.”

“No.”

Martya joined Olivia.  “Normally I’d agree with you on this Ivan but –“

“You’re reneging,” Ivan stated.

“We’re not,” Delia said walking up to him too.  “We want you to reconsider.  Ivan, you know this is a goodbye.” She held up the card.  “It says it’s the last performance and I don’t think it’s just because of me.  I think it’s just time.”

“I knew things were ending,” Olivia lamented, “But we’re still doing the game, right Delia?”

Delia smiled.  “If I’m here next year, yes, Olivia – you couldn’t stop me from taking part in an opportunity to pound on Ivan.”

“This is your way of persuading me?”  Ivan asked.  He’d been getting frost bitten by Delia all morning, even after he’d apologised! “Really, Delia, is this the way you sweet talk Duv?  No wonder he’s off his food.”

Delia’s eyes blazed in fury.  Ivan suddenly wished he could take the comment back. Delia stepped forward:  “You-“

“Ivan, please,” Olivia said stepping in. “We don’t want them to play in the Flag game of course, but couldn’t we…what?”

Ivan was grinning.  He looked at all three of them and then at Drou and the Commodore who nodded.  Eve had disappeared but he guessed she’d gone to talk to Despondent Duv.  

“After the game,” Ivan said, “all those idiots out there will be setting up a comfortable marquee in the garden and helping your Da cook his lethal traditional Barrayaran brunch for everyone – including themselves and probably most of your neighbours.”

“Oh, you planned this!”  Olivia exclaimed.

Martya laughed.  “You sneaky –“ 

“Nothing to do with me,” Ivan lied, shaking his head “your parents made the decision.  I’m glad you’re all happy.  Perhaps you could return me a favour and stop interfering in my personal life.”

Ivan’s tone didn’t change, but the sisters started at his look.  Delia raised her chin and opened her mouth to speak.

“Not interested,” Ivan said holding up a hand.  “You have no right and you know it.  Before you think Eve said anything, she didn’t.  I overheard enough to know.  Are we understood?  Good,” he said without waiting for an answer. “Now I’ve got to inform the boys the terms of their stay.”

“You haven’t told them, yet?” Martya gasped.  “How do you expect them to organise -“

“If they can’t come through on this, they should resign their commissions.” Ivan grinned. 

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This is Steve Earle's Galway Girl and I changed some of the lyrics - as you may have guessed.


	6. The Flag Game

“The rules.” Madam Koudelka said, “Are as follows…”

_The garden/playing pitch is separated into two equal halves._

_During play **only two players** from the same team can be in the same half.  You have **one minute** to get into your starting positions from the start of the round. _

_The aim is to take the opposing team’s flags - **one at a time**. _

_Players go back to their places when a flag is won or when the timed round is over if a flag hasn’t been retrieved._

_As long as you get the flag across your line it’s yours._

_The team with all ten flags wins._

**_No above the shoulder hits permitted and no punches._ **

**_  
_**

Eve listened to the rules as she adjusted the snug vest armour Madam Koudelka had given her to wear.   They would all be wearing it and Eve suspected the men were wearing extra protection below the waist.  Duv was wearing armour that belonged to one of the Koudelka cousins and Eve was wearing one that belonged to Lord Vorkosigan and although it had adjustable straps it didn’t fit until Madam Koudelka made some major adjustments.  Eve didn’t think Lord Vorkosigan would ever be able to wear it again (unless he grew breasts), but Madam Koudelka said she wasn’t to concern herself with that. 

As soon as she stepped out the back door into the garden, Ivan walked across to her. “Armour alright now?” he asked, his boots making tracks in the deep snow that had fallen overnight, and that would hopefully cushion their falls.

Eve nodded.  "Yeah, I need to walk around a bit in it."

Ivan grinned and raked her up and down with a look.  "Great. I'll admire the scenery."

She laughed and looked at her snug waterproofs. "You know, I was just thinking how my ex would never approve of this outfit."

Ivan moved closer.  "Which idiot ex is this?"

She smiled.  "The one who made an appointment for me to have my hips and buttocks sculpted smaller because he said they were too round."

Ivan let out a stunned laugh.  "You're making that up."

"It was my birthday present.  The worst thing about it was I nearly went...My excuse is that I was seventeen.  Can I have that as an excuse?"

"If I can have seventeen as an excuse too," Ivan said, "and eighteen, nineteen, twenty -"

Eve laughing pointed to Duv who had called Ivan over.  "Go," she said and they exchanged foolish grins.

So instead Eve had the joy of watching Ivan walk away and admired his contours in his blue waterproofs and matching blue jacket.  He looked good in blue.  Duv was wearing all black and looking very snug too.  Ivan had been ribbing him earlier because Duv had let slip he’d been going to the gym, a comment he made after Eve came close to making him blush when she noted his trim form.   Duv had only started going to the gym since he’d hooked up with Delia, according to Ivan’s few crude jokes that he’d managed to sneak in before Madam Koudelka came out into the garden. 

The girls hadn’t arrived yet, so Eve walked around and surveyed the area and left Duv and Ivan talking at the other end of the garden; their smoky cold white breath mingling as they spoke.  It looked like Duv had stopped blaming Ivan for Delia being mad at him but he still looked quite serious – he mostly looked that way, she realised. 

She looked around.  The garden had been cordoned off to make a neat rectangle with a red beam across the centre of the snow and around the edges.  Ivan’s side had ten tall blue one metre flags planted at one end and the Koudelka girls had ten blood red ones.  It would normally be teams of four against four, but of course this year was different – _wow!_ Eve let out a gasp as the Koudelka girls made an appearance.

The Koudelka girls were suited and booted in matching faux fur lined white winter gear that hugged their figures and set off their blonde beauty to full affect. 

“Well, that’s unfair,” Eve said as Duv and Ivan came over to her, and Madam Koudelka called on everyone to line up to do a warm up before the game started.

Ivan stopped beside her, as Duv passed them to stand by Delia and worship her with his eyes. Delia gave him a cold smile and stepped away from him.  The strain between them was palpable. 

“What’s unfair?” Ivan asked her.

Eve indicated to the girls with a nod of her head.  “From Grecian Goddesses to Snow Queens - not only do they look stunning - and deadly,” she said, “but it’s very distracting.  I’m not usually that way inclined, but they’re even tussling my buzz.”

Ivan let out something that was between a choke and a laugh and Eve grinned.  “Oh you know what that expression means?”

“Yes,” he whispered with a glint in his eyes.   “I do.”

“It’s a compliment,” Eve insisted.

“Yeah, maybe not one you want to make out loud – not here anyway.”

Eve attempted to look serious.  “Understood, Captain, sir, but I’m just an ignorant Galactic who don’t know no better.”

Ivan laughed.  “That’s quite a handy excuse.”

“Aint it?”

Ivan’s expression suddenly became serious.  “Can’t I give you my answer now, Evie?”

Eve shook her head.   “Ivan, please.  You promised. After the game we’ll talk, but not now.  And make sure it’s how you honestly feel. Then I’ll give you my answer.”

Ivan steered her further away from everyone.  “What do you mean?  If I say yes to what you asked, aren’t you going to say yes?”

“Depends what you say, Ivan.”

“What the – is this a test?”

“No, it definitely isn’t.  Oh please don’t look like that.  Just be honest with your words.  Not a test.”

Ivan sounded a touch petulant when he said,   “Sounds like a test to me.”

“Eve! Ivan!” Madam Koudelka called them over for the warm up.

“You know how much I like you and want you, Ivan Vorpatril,” she said and took a constricted breath.  “Do you think I’m looking for a way out of this dinner?  I just want to make sure that if it happens, we both start from a point where we want the same things.  Otherwise we’ll both be unhappy.  Come on let’s go warm up and concentrate on this game.  Yeah?”

Ivan nodded but he didn’t look as reassured as Eve had intended.  “Ivan?”

He looked at her and smiled.  “You’re right, let’s concentrate on the game.”

After a thorough warm up they were ready.  Eve asked Ivan what their first play was.

“We do a practice run first, which doesn’t count and then we’ll think about a strategy.”

Eve and Duv exchanged looks.  It was obvious Ivan wasn’t very optimistic about his makeshift team.  An attitude unfortunately borne out by the practice run; Duv got shoved hard into the snow by Olivia, and then Olivia and Martya tackled Ivan.  Olivia then swiftly took a Vorpatril blue flag across to the Koudelka side.  Eve had moved across the line to face Delia, but she hadn’t moved at all to take their flag.

“Sorry, I just wanted to see how it worked,” Eve said. “Those girls are serious aren’t they?”

Ivan gave her a smile as he brushed snow off himself and Olivia gave him a sympathetic look as she returned their flag. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Ivan said. 

Duv staggered over with a stunned look on his face.  “They’re serious – did you see what Olivia did to me?” 

Madam Koudelka shook her head and went inside, leaving her husband to referee.  No doubt she was thinking that this was going to be a very short game.

Ivan told them that the best thing they could do was defend their own flags until the end of the round, wear the girls out and then try to get their flags later on. 

“That’s your strategy?  Well, you’re the _Captain_ ,” Duv muttered and Ivan nodded and gave him a grin.  “In this game, Captain of Commodores, Duv.”

Duv scowled.

Eve asked if she could try and get a flag anyway and Ivan told her to be careful. 

“You’re so sweet,” Eve said with a soft smile.  “Don’t look so worried.”

The round started, Eve moved across the line and attempted to take a flag.  Delia tried to knock her over, but Eve kicked out both her feet into Delia’s chest shoving her hard into the snow. Without Eve losing her balance, she landed and picked up the flag.  She was just about to cross the line when Ivan yelled.  “No, Evie!” Eve froze, poised to cross the line.  She’d momentarily forgotten that there could only be two team members in each half.   She kept an eye on Delia who was now sitting up, dazed, she made to stand but Eve kicked her legs out from under her.  Eve turned back and saw Olivia shove Ivan back down, Duv then tripped up Martya but Ivan swiftly turned, grabbed the stumbling Martya and crashed over the line with her into the Koudelka half.  “Now!” Ivan yelled. With only Duv on their side of the line, Eve safely stepped over.  “Urm…Flag?” she said planting it in the snow.

Everyone seemed stunned but Eve frowned.  “Damn it, I nearly lost us a flag, if I’d crossed the line – oof.”  Ivan hugged her, delightfully assaulting her with his warmth and scent and whispered, “You beauty!”

“You do want to win don’t you?” she asked hugging him back.

“Oh, yes!”  He let Eve go and looked across at the girls.  “My team’s going to win this year, Koudelkas!”

“Over _your_ dead body, Vorpatril,” Martya yelled back with a grin.  “Hey, aren’t you going to give Duv a hug too, Ivan.  You are a team after all.”

Duv gave Ivan a murderous don’t you dare look, which set everyone off laughing, so Eve hugged the startled and stiff Duv.

“Well played, sir,” Eve said and pecked him a kiss on the cheek.

Duv gave out a surprised laugh as she let him go.  “You too, Miss.”

***

Delia was furious. How dare Eve hug her Duv and kiss him. _How dare she!_ And how dare he enjoy it!  He was smiling when he should be suffering!  There was something so damn unfair as it was about Eve and Ivan spending the night together and now Eve was still flirting with Duv, like she was last night when she kept touching him.  She was now taking every opportunity she could to touch him!  If Duv thought this was affecting her, he was wrong!

“Beginners luck,” Martya said, “We’ll get them back.  No going easy on her – eh, Delia, alright?”

Delia, a steel look in her eye, nodded. “Fine, leave Eve to me.”

“Oh, Delia, you’re not jealous are you?” Martya teased.  “Just because she’s getting more action with Duv this weekend than you are.”

Delia turned to Martya and Martya swallowed.  “I was only joking!”

Martya, for some reason, had perked up today of all days, but it was the last thing Delia wanted.

“God, Martya, sometimes…,” Olivia said shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, all right! It was a joke,” Martya said.  “Eve isn’t like that, well she’s very touchy feely but that’s with everyone and you know Duv wouldn’t -“

“For God’s’s sake, Martya,” Delia said through gritted teeth, “shut…up.”   Olivia and Martya cast a worried look at their sister and then at Eve, bouncing on her heels in the snow with a grin.

***

Delia didn’t get her chance with Eve.  The next round Ivan had Eve in defence with Duv.  Eve got to Olivia before she could take out Duv and then took out Martya too with a flying kick.  Olivia was a hard one to keep down, but instead of trying to shove her over the line, Eve cross body tackled her hard into Martya leaving Duv to swiftly cross over the line.  Ivan just managed to get the flag from Delia before Olivia had risen up and nearly grabbed one of theirs.

“Drou, love,” the Commodore said calling into the house, as the teams were taking a breather in between rounds.

“Is it over already?”

“I think you may want to watch; our girls are losing...”

_“What?”_

***

Delia swapped places but so did Eve, they were employing so many different strategies now it was hard to tell where Eve was going to be.  Oh, but she got to witness Eve give Duv two more hugs and saw them laugh together.  The girl couldn’t keep her hands to herself!  She even hugged her Da after she accidentally fell into him. 

Their mother had come out and they knew she was impressed with Eve. 

“She is amazing,” Olivia said, “she uses so many different moves, so fluid.  Did you see that back flip she did?”

“I still think that was illegal.  I guess this is what she meant by her daily _training_ ,” Delia said sarcastically, “she was setting us up!  I bet Ivan set the whole thing up.”

Martya nodded, “Oh yeah, I can just see him telling Uncle Viktor to tell that joke so everyone would leave, got Aunt Anna to stay away and then got me to vomit in Eve’s hair.”

Delia refused to be dissuaded by Martya’s heavy sarcasm.  “She’s a ringer, he had something in mind.”

“It’s not just her,” Olivia said.  “They’re executing Ivan’s plays.  I told you if our stupid cousins ever listened to Ivan we would get a better game but instead they helped us win by playing as individuals.  Ivan’s finally got a team who’ll listen to him!  We have to be sharper, we’ve gotten too comfortable.”

“Perhaps, but Eve is executing those plays better than those idiots,” Delia said.  “It’s Eve we need to eliminate.”

 “Eliminate?  You’re losing the plot, Deels,” Olivia said.  “You need to calm down.”

“I am calm.”  _I am Delia Koudelka and I’m in fucking control!_

 ***

**_Gelato_ **

It had started to snow heavily, the visibility was poor and no one knew how much time had passed but no one was going to give up.  It was now 9 flags to Vorpatril and 5 to Koudelka.  They were all taking a small break and the girls were huddled at their end.

“What do you think they’re up to?” Duv asked breathless, wiping snow from his face again.

“Discussing strategy,” Ivan said, stretching his gloved hands, and blinking back snowflakes, “which means they’ll pull a move we’ve not seen.” _Or thought of…_ “Unless we get there first.”

“What’s our strategy?”

Ivan looked at Duv’s torn jacket, cut lip and bruised cheek - courtesy of accidentally falling onto Martya’s boot.  “Yours is not to get killed.”

Duv gave Ivan a sardonic look, but he didn’t say anything else.  They were winning after all.  After Duv started to hesitate as to how to play against his future sisters-in-law, Evie and Ivan had pointed out that the girls would have far more respect for him if he treated them as equals.  After Duv’s second pummelling at the hands of the girls, Duv strongly agreed.

Ivan called Evie over.  She bounced over, her hair half plastered to her face as it escaped her hat, her eyes bright, bright green.  She didn’t even look tired.

“I could really do with some gelato – I miss gelato,” she sighed, “So what’s our winning move?”

Ivan laughed.  “They do sell gelato here.”

“Not the kind I’ve had on Earth.”

Ivan nodded.  “Yeah, that kind.  I know what you mean and I know somewhere that sells it.”

“You’re teasing me!  Where?”

“Eh, shouldn’t we discussing our next play?” Duv asked.

They ignored him.  “They sell a citrus one that is amazing,” Ivan said.

“Where?”

“Later, I promise,” Ivan said.  _After you’ve said yes to dinner._  

Evie looked up at him thoughtfully and nodded.  “All right, later.” She stepped close to him and said, “Do you know what else I would like?”

Ivan shook his head mesmerised by her dancing eyes.  “Near my home – on Earth – they have these pleasure rooms where they simulate all four seasons in one room.  I’ve never been but it was making me think how I would really like to crush you into the snow and pleasure you until the snow melts into spring, summer, autumn and then back again into the snow.”

Silence.  Ivan swallowed.  _She has to say yes. She has to yes._ “We could do that later too.” 

“So what’s our winning move?” Duv asked loudly looking very uncomfortable.

Ivan and exchanged a long look with Evie and they grinned.  “Later?” she asked.

“God, yes,” Ivan nodded.

“Our move?”  Duv repeated.

“I’m not taking any chances,” Ivan said, clearing his throat.  He glanced over at the girls and back at Evie.  His team hadn’t won in three years and if he won now it would be by a larger margin than he had ever had.   “It’s time for our secret weapon.”

Evie nodded and looked up at Duv.  “It’s nearly over, Duv. Have you thought what you’re going to say to Delia?”

Between plays Duv had been more forthcoming about Delia, but he didn’t seem to have a solution and neither Eve nor Ivan could come up with anything.  Truth was Ivan was refusing to get involved.  But Evie had pulled Ivan aside and suggested something, which Ivan wasn’t keen on at all but he’d said he’d think about it, but it was for the future.

“Duv,” Evie said with a grin. “I know what to do! You need to ask the experts.  Go to the sisters.”

Duv looked appalled at Evie’s suggestion.  “I can’t do that.  They’re not going to be on my side!”

“Duv, I swear, they know her better than anyone and I’m sure they want you both to be happy.  You’re running out of time.  Ask them now.”

“What?”

“Yeah, we’ll take a time out!”  Evie called for a time out before Duv could stop her and she asked to speak to Olivia.  Commodore Koudelka said it was unusual but agreed and Olivia came over and they talked on the side lines and the Commodore agreed to turn the vid off, although it wasn’t supposed to record any sound.  Delia looked on furious but Martya looked curious.

Eve started if off.  “Duv wants to make it up to Delia.  First, what’s the best way to get privacy in this house after the game?”

Olivia grinned.  “Best way to hide is in plain sight.  Didn’t they teach you that at the academy, Duv?”

Duv grimaced.  “They didn’t cover it in this context, Olivia, no.”

Eve and Olivia made _aww_ noises and Duv gave Ivan a look.  Ivan didn’t even try to keep a straight face.  “Here’s my simple idea,” Olivia said, “but whether Delia takes the hook is something else.”  After relating her idea, Duv agreed to go along with it.  Olivia smiled.  “I’m glad you asked for advice, Duv.  Best idea you’ve had this weekend.”  

Duv acknowledged the hit but said it was Eve’s idea.  Olivia turned to Evie and grinned.  “You’re playing well.”

“We’re going to win, Koudelka,” Eve stated.

“We’ll see, Sorrentti.”

They could see Delia and Martya demanding to know what they talked about and Olivia shaking her head and saying she would tell them later.  Delia did not look happy.

When they got back to their positions, Ivan related what he hoped was his last play of the game.  He was worried about Delia and Evie.  Olivia had signalled half way through the game to keep Evie away from Delia, so Ivan left it to the last moment to decide where Evie and Duv would go, but always making sure Evie didn’t face Delia.  Evie seemed oblivious to the looks Delia was giving her, or she thought it was just to do with the game.  Ivan wanted to end the game quick so he used his secret weapon – Duv.

After much persuasion Ivan got Duv to hard body tackle Delia – catching Delia by surprise as Duv hadn’t once tackled his betrothed.  The strategy worked. Delia seemed to freeze, Evie tackled Martya hard and took no chance as she shoved her hard over the line and Duv went for the flag, just as Ivan tackled Martya who went for their flag.  Duv got the flag first.  Ivan whooped a cheer and Duv was grinning until Ivan saw his face fall.  It was over- but it wasn’t. 

They all turned to see Delia and Evie full on fighting.  

“Leave them,” Drou said sharply, motioning everyone to step away.  Delia was good, but not as good as Evie.  Eve kept knocking Delia back down but Delia kept struggling to come after her.  It was mesmerising, but not for Duv who stared, his lips in a tight thin line as he watched Delia getting beaten, unable to do anything.

Olivia gave Ivan a told you so look.

“Eve could end it, but she won’t,” Drou said thoughtfully.  “She’s still playing by the Snow Bash rules.”

Ivan realised it too, Evie wouldn’t throw a punch. Ivan watched and couldn’t believe how strong Evie was - well, no he should believe it considering what she’d done to him last night and  - finally much to everyone’s relief, Evie did a move where she flipped Delia hard into the snow on to her back, stepped back and waited calmly to see if Delia would get up.  Delia must have said something because then Evie crouched down beside Delia.  Ivan grabbed hold of Duv and pulled him aside.  “I need to talk to you, now.”

_How do I get talked into these things?_

***

**_Winners and Losers_ **

“I know you don’t like me right now, Delia,” Eve whispered, “but it’s not me you’re mad at.  This is wasted energy. You know it.  Take a few breaths.  Truce?” she asked in that calm mellow tone of hers.

Delia lay there, looked at Eve and realised all at once what a fool she’d been and it was as if all the air went out of her; suddenly she felt very, very tired.  Delia gave a small nod and she let Eve help her up.  Delia knew there was only one thing to be done and to be done quickly, she raised her chin, forced a smile and shook hands with Eve.   Everyone else looked on relieved.  Then her mother took one of the blue flags the girls had won and handed it back to Ivan.

“Delia threw the first punch before the game was over.  She knows the rules.  Vorpatril wins Ten to Four.” Everyone shook hands; the victory a (temporary) anti-climax for the winners.  "Everyone line up for a warm down and after you’re all cleaned up we will all face Kou’s lethal cooking.” 

Straight after the warm down the sisters went up to their mother.

Delia spoke first:  “I want you to put me on a refresher combat program.”

“Me too,” said Olivia. 

Martya nodded and grinned.  “You can say I told you so, mama” she said and Drou smiled.  She’d been nagging her girls for a while that they’d gotten too sloppy.  She was relieved.  You never knew when you were going to need those skills, as Drou was keenly aware.

“I will arrange it,” she looked over at Eve who was talking to Kou.  Ivan had disappeared and Duv was standing on his own, waiting. 

She turned back to her daughters and moved closer to them.  “I know more of what goes on in this house than you think, and I wish you had made more of an effort to befriend Eve; or if you couldn’t do that to treat her as the guest she is - and not point out her differences.”

“We didn’t!”  Olivia said appalled.  “I like her!”

“What did you say to her about Ivan?”

Olivia’s face fell.  “We were trying to protect her,” Delia said defensively.

“It was none of your business and you don’t know Eve or Ivan well enough to interfere.  You may think you do, but you don’t.  Put yourself in Eve’s place.  How do you think it would sound?” she sighed.  “I am proud of you girls, I am proud of how far this family has come and I’m grateful for the opportunities we’ve been given, but I sometimes wonder if Kou and I have failed to remind you of where we’ve come _from_.”  She kissed each of them in turn. “All I ask is you think about what I just said.”

Drou then let the officers into the garden through the side gates to set up a marquee to attach to the house.  The officers were falling over themselves when they caught site of the Koudelkas.  Kou immediately started giving them instructions before he followed everyone else inside. 

 


	7. The End

**_Galeni Makes a Speech_ **

Duv asked Delia if they could talk, alone.  He asked this in front of everyone as they shucked off their boots at the backdoor.

Before Delia could respond, Duv added, “We haven’t had any privacy, is there somewhere we can go where we won’t be disturbed?  There’s something I need to talk to you about before I use your shower.  Ivan said Eve’s using the other bathroom so she can use Kareen’s room to change.  We won’t be putting her out.”  If it sounded wooden and rehearsed it’s because it was, but to everyone except Olivia it sounded like nervousness.

Delia caught Olivia’s don’t be an idiot hand signal and she nodded.  “Alright, yes, we’ll go to my room,” she said. “Eve’s already put her case out in the hall, anyway.  I’ll move it to Kareen’s room.”  _Oh, the irony._ Delia was now keenly feeling the horrible embarrassment of the stupid fight with Eve, how had she lost her control like that?  She wondered if she wouldn’t feel as bad if she hadn’t lost to Eve. 

Delia suddenly gave Martya and Olivia a shrewd look and then turned to her da.  “Da, can you make sure these two eavesdroppers leave us alone?”

He nodded and she saw how relieved he looked when he looked from her to Duv and she wanted to give him a hug.  “After the girls have cleaned up they can come straight down here and help me fry the meats.”

“Urgh, Da!!”

As she followed Duv up, Delia smiled, suddenly realising that she was finally going to get what she wanted this weekend - time alone with her intended.  “You took your time, Galeni.”

“Yeah…I’m sorry about that,” he said and stopped and turned to her with a smile, which she returned.  “I have something surprising to tell you, which will make things easier for us, and I’ve just been given an interesting idea of where to go for our honeymoon.”

Delia smiled and laughed.  “Good…very good. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten.”

“We Komarrans get there in the end, Koudelka – Delia - my love.”

Delia reached up and took his hand.

***

**_Full Honours_ **

The Vorbrettens had arrived for the brunch and so had Lady Alys and Simon Illyan.  Ivan was surprised to see his mother; usually everyone else didn’t arrive until the evening but she said she had urgent business with Drou and Martya and disappeared quite quickly.  Ivan didn’t think it could be to do with anything he’d said to his mother this morning – no, surely not even his mother could work this quickly?   Ivan frowned and decided not to think about it. Simon went to help the Commodore who already had too many officers offering advice on how to burn his food.  Ivan hadn’t even had a chance to shower yet.

There was a loud whistle and a large blonde lieutenant signalled him and handed him a package in an ice bag.  “Delivery from my brother.  He said it was urgent and to tell you his girl won’t let him come.”

Ivan laughed and took it from him.  “Great, do me a favour, keep an eye on the boys?”

“Don’t need to now they know Illyan is here.  Hey, is it true you had a singing midget on your team? Ducker was…” he trailed off at Ivan’s unamused look.

Ivan stepped up close to him and said, “No, it definitely isn’t.  What I did have was the beautiful and petite Eve Sorrentti on my team who helped my team win; she is a student and a singer and is to be treated with honour; full honours, Markov, do you understand?”

Markov stared.  “Full honours?”

“Full,” he said patting him on the arm.  “Spread it around.”

He knew it was pre-emptive to do this, and he’d never given any of his previous girls this honour but with Evie it felt right.  _She’s going to say yes, she is._

***

**_Spork_ **

“What are you doing?” Ivan asked closing the door.  Evie was sat on the floor in the corner of Ivan’s room.  She was wrapped in a bathrobe, her hair damp.

“I like corners and I can see the door.”

Ivan supposed that was as good an explanation as any but he was concerned.  “Are you all right?” he asked placing the bag on the bed and sitting opposite her on the floor.

“I don’t know,” she said.  “Are you mad that I fought Delia?  I know she’s your -” she frowned suddenly. “I don’t know. I know she means a lot to you, but she started it – no matter what her reasons - and I have a right to defend myself.  I’m not going to apologise.”

“I’m not expecting you to and I’m not mad.  You were very impressive.”

Her face lit up.  “Oh, that’s nice of you to say.  I could fight them all you know, and win.”

Ivan laughed and then realised by her earnest look that she was being serious.  “Ah, well, let’s not do that today,” he said. 

 _It’s_ _now or never, Ivan…_

 _“_ Evie, I don’t know how to say this yes the way you want me to.  I’m not in a relationship with anyone.  I was close to being part of what you called a trio relationship - do people really call it that or is it cos you’re a musician? - what I mean is I don’t want that now. I’m not looking for anyone else; I just want to have dinner with you and to…see what happens.  And I’m not being shared or want to be shared and I don’t want to share you either.  That’s it…If you’re expecting me to quote some ye olde poem like Duv I can’t do that,” he said defensively. “This is me, Eve.  What you see is what you get and –umf.”  He didn’t actually say umf but as close as and Evie’s mouth was scorching his and she was in his arms, so he guessed he had said the right thing in that rambled mess that wasn’t what he rehearsed.  God, being honest with her seemed to genuinely work!   

She pulled away just as suddenly and he nearly fell over but her strong thighs and lovely round hips gripped him - and he winced.  “Oh sorry!  You’re probably bruised.”

“Aren’t you?” he asked.

“Yeah, but I heal quickly - also I’m used to it, and – I have something to tell you.  You’ve been honest and now it’s my turn, but I can’t tell you yet.  I have to call someone and tell them that I’m telling you and – what?” She looked so distraught Ivan couldn’t tease her.

He leaned in and whispered into her ear.  “You don’t have to make that call.  I know what it is.”

“You don’t!”

“Illyan told me.  I know whose training you.”

She gasped and looked at him wide eyed.  “Does everyone know?  Am I the worst kept secret on Barrayar?”

Ivan grinned.  He liked surprising her, she looked adorable.  “Not everyone knows, no.”  Ivan explained how he tried to find out where her retreat was and after some further investigating he’d hit a wall - an ImpSec wall, which he thought was unusual.  Normally, he’d leave it alone.  Normally.   But he couldn’t and out of desperation he’d gone to Simon.

“Illyan.  He interviewed all of us girls in the program, did he tell you?” Evie said. “Does he remember us?  I hear he has memory problems now…never mind don’t tell me.  I’m so glad you know.  Are you all right with it?”

“Do you think I’d be here if I wasn’t?”

She rested her head on his shoulder and let out a laugh.  “I’m not thinking straight.  Give me a few hours.  So…what’s in the bag?”

Ivan suddenly recalled the gelato. “I was going to bribe you with this first, but you distracted me.  Open it.”

She laughed.  “I guess I’m not the only one _not_ thinking straight.” She climbed off his lap and seated herself on the bed before she unsealed the tub; she stared at the four compartments and grinned as she stared at the chocolate one.  “All right, but I’m going to tell you if you it’s not the real thing.  Spoon?”

“Somewhere…” Ivan rummaged through his things and Evie took the utensil from him.

She grinned.  “I’ve got a spork too! Mine’s blue.  What are these numbers?” she asked running her fingers along the middle.

“He etched them on - my father, it was his.  My uncle gave it to me recently with – what?” Ivan asked as she handed it back with a start. 

“I can’t use that!  What if I break it?”

Ivan laughed.  “It’s unbreakable.”

Evie shook her head.  “No such thing.  That’s like an heirloom or something, and it’s irreplaceable.”

“What if we share the spork?  I’ll hold it and put it in your mouth.”

Evie giggled.  Then it got delightfully silly. And messy.

***

**_Earth (Not the store)_ **

“I don’t believe you,” Delia said laughing as she left her room, freshly showered and elegantly dressed in a knee length blue satin dress.

“It’s true,” Duv said, also showered and dressed in his undress greens.  “It’s a Komarran tradition.  You have to do it before we marry and you can’t use a net.”

Delia was shaking with laughter.  “You are such a liar!  And you forget that I can ask Laisa! Ah, looks like Olivia was sent to hurry us.  We’re on our way -“

“Martya’s going to Earth!  And I don’t mean the store near the university,” Olivia said breathless as she reached the top of the stairs and nearly crashing into her sibling.  “Lady Alys has asked her to go to the Embassy and be her Voice there and to kick the social committee around or something because of the wedding events they’re screwing up!  It’s a big, big deal on Earth, apparently.  Martya’s going next week! Next week!!  Ivan did you hear? God, aren’t you dressed, yet?”

At the end of the hall Ivan stepped out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist; steam billowing out the door. 

“Hear what?” he asked smiling, still standing in the doorway.  Olivia repeated herself her eyes wide.  Ivan looked very surprised at the news and also distracted – he kept looking back into the bathroom. 

“You should get dressed,” Delia said with a smile. “Both of you,” she added.

Ivan’s smile became a grin and he went into his room, but stood in the doorway and watched Eve leave the bathroom too, also only in a towel but a long one draping most of her as she went into Kareen’s room.  Delia saw Duv avert his eyes.  Eve stopped, though and looked at Delia and Olivia with a smile.

“What pretty dresses!  I didn’t know you were dressing up for the brunch too.”

Delia kept her eyes on Eve’s face and not on the bruises she could see.  Delia had her own bruises from the game and she knew they would all be feeling the game more tomorrow, but Eve also had a long cut on her upper arm and it didn’t look like she received it from the flag game.  It was covered in a clear healing bandage.

 “These aren’t really dressy,” Delia said, “Please don’t think you have to wear -”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Eve said with a grin.  “I told Stefan to pack my easy dress.  It’s comfy to wear after you’ve been pummelled and it’s distracting enough to look dressy.  I’ll see you later.”

“Eve, wait,” Olivia said, “We were wondering if you’ll sing?”

Eve shook her head, droplets flying from her hair.  “I’m sorry, I can’t.  I think I swallowed half the snow out there; best I give my throat a rest.  You don’t mind?”  
  
“No, of course not.  I –eh - I hope that doesn’t hurt?” Olivia said looking at the bandage.  
  
Eve looked at where Olivia was looking and laughed.  “No, I forget it’s there.  Just an accident I had during some exercises last week.  I’ll see you down there.”   And she went into her room to dress.  Delia and Olivia abandoned Duv and went to see Martya.

 

***

**_Imperial Command_ **

Martya was stunned, excited and stunned.  She was sat on her bed in her maroon satin dress trying to digest it all.  She thought about yesterday and it seemed like a million years ago, her anxiety, baring her soul to Eve – _oh God, how embarrassing_ – her second thoughts about Ivan, _urgh_.  Now this, this!  Martya never believed good fortune dropped in your lap unless you were male or Vor.  But this good fortune was going to be work and she was looking forward to it, she wouldn’t make the stupid mistakes she’d made lately with her big mouth.  She would make Lady Alys and her family proud.

A swift knock and the door opened and her sisters came in.

“You shouldn’t have made the dressy comment!” Olivia said.

“You shouldn’t have made the wound comment!” Delia retorted.

“What’s going on?”

Olivia sighed and sat on the bed. “Eve.  It feels awkward with her now.  I think we’re overcompensating.”

“Well, she’ll be gone after the brunch,” Martya said.  “Don’t look at me like that.  She’s a nice girl, but I don’t know if I want to be friends with her like mother would like us to be – and it has nothing to do with her…heritage.  It’s best we try and meet her away from the house, away from Ivan.  This weekend has been too surreal, don’t you think?  I would like to get to know her away from here.  We should take her out.”

The sisters agreed and then congratulated her on her good fortune and then talked about how badly their Da was taking it.

“But I’m under Imperial employ, which is almost like an Imperial command as far as Da is concerned, so he says I have no choice but to go.” Martya grinned.

They laughed knowing full well that Lady Alys would have had a lot to do with that idea.

“I’ll be back in time for the wedding though, and –“ Martya laughed.  “I can’t believe it…I really can’t.”

“Do you want me to pinch you?”  Olivia asked eagerly.

“No.”

Delia laughed.  “Come on let’s go greet the boys.” 

  ***

**_Kareen/Duv’s Room_ **

They decided to stay upstairs.  For a long while they were content to simply lie in each other’s arms.  Besides, the Snow Bash weekend belonged to the girls.  Ivan agreed and said he was content to delay any bragging of having been the victor until later.  Let the girls enjoy the attention they were now no doubt getting from all their admirers.

Ivan told Eve that he’d done as she’d suggested and offered his apartment to Delia and Duv, if they wanted privacy.  They could say they were visiting Ivan, if they needed to tell anyone anything.  Ivan said he’d probably regret it.  Eve said if their dinner date goes well she’d consider giving him a key to her apartment and by the way did he know that she utterly adored him?  Then she asked him about Martya.  

“No, it wasn’t my idea to send Martya to Earth,” Ivan said.

Eve smiled.   “Maybe not, but I know you must have said something to your mother, just as you also must have arranged for all those officers to be here.  Don’t worry.  I won’t say anything…can I see you tonight?”

“I don’t know if I’m staying,” he said holding her tighter.  “With no game tomorrow and Martya planning her trip, I’ll have to play it by ear – won’t you reconsider staying another night?”

“I can’t and I don’t think it’s fair on them.” Eve thought it was very kind of the Koudelkas to ask her to stay but she knew it was only out of politeness, but she didn’t mind.  “This is a time for family.  And talking of family, I wasn’t expecting to meet yours tonight.”

Ivan laughed.  “You’ve been introduced to my mother before.”

“Briefly! She was there when I met Laisa…and then there is Illyan, but I suppose he’s unlikely to ask me about the program here.”

“Very unlikely.”

There was a knock on the door.  “Are you asleep?”  Olivia asked.  “Everyone’s asking questions,” she said suggestively.

“Yes, we’re asleep,” Eve and Ivan said in unison.  “We’ll be down in five minutes, Olivia,” Eve added.  She reluctantly peeled herself away from Ivan.  “I’ll get dressed.”

Eve was only wearing her underwear.

“In five minutes?” Ivan asked.

She grinned.  “Yeah, and close your eyes.  I want to know what you think of my dress.”

Eve unrolled and shook out her ankle length dress, she put it on and then put on her matching boots – knee highs not thigh ones with this dress.

“I’m done.”

Ivan opened his eyes.  “That was fast I’ve never –“ And he stared as she tied her hair loosely with a green scarf to match her green velvet dress. 

“Thank you,” Eve said.  The stare was a compliment and a half.

Ivan sat up slowly and left the bed to stand opposite her.  He matched her well in his undress greens. She turned around so he could see the laces that went up the back.

“Very old fashioned, I know,” Eve said with a grin.  “Just like me.”

“You definitely know what suits you, Evie.”

“Yeah,” she said earnestly looking at him. “I really do.” 

But at the top of the stairs, before they went down, she felt a sudden wave of crashing, clashing thoughts; of all the crossroads in her life - both chosen and thrust upon her.  She wondered what her alternate selves were doing, the Eve whose mother hadn’t died…the Eve that hadn't begged to have therapy on Beta Colony...the Eve that hadn’t met Ivan.  She tried to take comfort from the fact that those selves wouldn’t suffer what they didn’t know but it still made her ache. 

And now she was here, with Ivan and he was High Vor and what the hell was she thinking when she had her degree to concentrate on and her ImpSec secret training and – Ivan gripped her hand. His hands were warm. He was always warm. And steady.  And solid.

“All right?” he asked. “Your eyes are doing that flicker.  If you don’t want to go down yet, we can wait.  I think there’s still more gelato left; we could camp out upstairs with our sporks?” 

She laughed. And just like that, it was all right again. 

***

Olivia was standing at the bottom of the stairs when she heard their laughter.  She looked up as did the officers she was chatting with.  She saw Ivan glance over and see them and then saw him place his hands on Eve’s face and kiss her.  When he pulled away - to the whistling and cat calls from the officers - she saw the way Eve and Ivan looked at each other and she smiled.  Eve then pulled Ivan’s head down for a more thorough kiss.  Olivia looked away with a laugh and looked across at Delia, Duv and Martya laughing at something one of the officers were saying and her parents talking to Lady Alys and Simon about Martya’s forthcoming trip.  She sighed happily.  Apart from losing the game this was the best Snow Bash Weekend ever, for everyone...  Miles would be sorry he had to go to Komarr and miss it…

***

 

Epilogue: A few months later...

 

It happened at the oddest moment. 

Ivan had temporarily vacated his apartment for Delia and Duv, but Evie didn't want to go to her apartment; so they had a picnic in the small park near the university.  He had about an hour before he'd have to go back to his escort duties.  He was lying down with his head in Evie's lap while she was reading and absent mindedly stroking his hair. It was utter bliss for him but from the concentrated frown on her face, not for her.

She was always studying, always thinking she never knew enough, but her grades were steadily climbing.  She was doing well, but she said she always felt like she was far behind.  Duv didn't help with all his suggested readings.  Ivan had to have a word with him so he'd assure Evie that suggested reading meant exactly that.  She wasn't getting any sleep. 

Ivan knew how important this degree was to her, he didn't fully understood why but he knew it was more important to her than anything else.  More important than music, which Rene didn't understand.  If she trained she could become a consummate musician Rene had said and was appalled when Evie said music was a hobby and she was comfy being an ameteur.      

"You said you were taking today off," Ivan murmured.  

She gave him that smile.  "I have dinner with the Koudelka girls before they go to the Residence.  I'm just going over some things."

"And tonight?"

"I'm all yours.  Whatever time you get in," she grinned. "No training, no singing...anything you want, love."

"I want to marry you."  Ivan startled himself - but no - it was - he sat up.  "You told me to tell you when I wanted a wife," he tried to sound light, it came out in an ache.  "Do you- ah - want - a husband?" God, it was clumsy and feeble and - _oh, God!_ there were tears in her eyes. 

"If it's you, yes," she said earnestly, fire in her eyes.  "A million times yes."   

She was smiling now and laughing and so was he.  He kissed her and told her that he loved her, and she said she knew and that his mother had said when his brain caught up with his heart it's likely he'd propose.

"She said _what?_ "

Evie grinned.  "I told her I was in love with you.  I wanted to know if she'd make it difficult.  Not that I cared.  Only we can give each other up."

"What did she say?" he asked amazed and staring at her in complete admiration.

"She kissed my cheek and said I had wonderful taste...and that you did too."

They exchanged a long look and decided there was only one thing to do to make it all perfect.  They went to find some gelato.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> There was a longer Epilogue but I cut it down because of some reasons.
> 
> No animals were harmed during the writing of this piece but much chocolate was devoured over the five months it took me to write this.
> 
> Thank you so much Gwynne and Kay for beta help and lovely words. 
> 
> ***


End file.
